A Caribbean Island Says Goodbye Diesel and Hello 100% Renewable Electricity

This case study describes the transformation of Bonaire's electricity system from a diesel-dependent model to one aiming for 100% renewable energy following a power plant fire in 2004. The system integrates wind power, battery storage, and diesel generators capable of running on biodiesel, resulting in lower electricity costs and increased reliability.

• Bonaire transitioned its electricity system after a 2004 fire destroyed its diesel power plant, leading the government and local utility to target 100 percent renewable electricity generation.
• The current electricity system consists of 11 MW of wind power capacity from 12 turbines, which provides 40–45 percent of annual electricity on average and up to 90 percent during peak wind. This is supported by 6 MWh of battery storage that can provide 3 MW for over two minutes to maintain reliability during wind drops.
• To achieve a 100 percent renewable system, Bonaire utilizes 14 MW of diesel generation (five generators) that can run on biodiesel. The island plans to produce this biofuel using local algae grown in salt flats, aiming for a mix of 40–45 percent wind and 55–60 percent biodiesel.
• The shift to renewables reduced electricity costs for residents to $0.22/kWh, which is significantly lower than the $0.36/kWh or higher seen on nearby Caribbean islands, and far lower than the $0.50/kWh peak reached in 2008 during the use of temporary generators.
• The transition was influenced by Bonaire's status as a special municipality of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the involvement of the Dutch and German consortium Ecopower Bonaire BV.

APA

RMI (2015). A Caribbean Island Says Goodbye Diesel and Hello 100% Renewable Electricity. https://rmi.org/resources/caribbean-island-says-goodbye-diesel-hello-100-renewable-electricity/

Chicago

RMI. A Caribbean Island Says Goodbye Diesel and Hello 100% Renewable Electricity. 2015. https://rmi.org/resources/caribbean-island-says-goodbye-diesel-hello-100-renewable-electricity/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=A Caribbean Island Says Goodbye Diesel and Hello 100% Renewable Electricity |date=7 January 2015 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/caribbean-island-says-goodbye-diesel-hello-100-renewable-electricity/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2015caribbean, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{A Caribbean Island Says Goodbye Diesel and Hello 100\% Renewable Electricity}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2015}, month = jan, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/caribbean-island-says-goodbye-diesel-hello-100-renewable-electricity/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }