Albioma to convert Caribbean power plant from coal to biomass

Albioma recently announced it has secured a long-term loan to support the conversion a 34 MW coal-fired power plant in Guadeloupe, a group of French islands in the southern Caribbean, to 100 percent biomass.

Albioma made the announcement March 13, noting that the 19-year loan, €68 million ($77.63 million) loan will be used to create new infrastructure and make modifications to its Albioma Caraïbes power plant that will allow it to be fueled with biomass. According to the company, the facility is scheduled to begin operating on 100 percent biomass in 2020.  

Once the project is complete, Albioma said it will be operating two biomass-fueled thermal units in the Caribbean. In September 2018, the company announced the commissioning of its first overseas 100 percent bagasse/biomass power plant, Galion 2, located in Martinique, a French island also located in the Caribbean.

In a press release issued March 8 outlining its 2018 financial results, Albioma said the 40 MW Galion 2 facility will triple renewable energy production on the island. That facility is fueled with sugarcane bagasse and other forms of biomass, including timber residues from sustainably managed forests. Conversion of the Albioma Caraïbes power plant is expected to increase the renewable portion of Guadeloupe’s energy mix from 20 percent to 35 percent, Albioma said in its financial report.