Saona clean energy project is nominated Sustainable Initiative of the Year 2023 by Business Intelligence

The project “Energizing Saona” of the Bayahibe Electricity Company (CEB) has turned Saona Island into the first island of the hemisphere to have clean energy 24/7, coming from solar generation.

La Romana, Rep. Dom.- The project “Energizing Saona” promoted by the Bayahibe Electric Company (CEB), subsidiary of the Punta Cana-Macao Energy Consortium (CEPM), in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MIMARENA), received the nomination “Sustainable Initiative of the Year” from the prestigious American firm Business Intelligence at the Sustainability Awards 2023.

The project has been operating since December 2022 with the installation of 1,800 photovoltaic modules and a 5 MWh energy storage system that have guaranteed, for the first time in the history of this island, a continuous and reliable energy service from a completely renewable generation source for the more than 600 people who live in this community.

This transformation has had an impact on the well-being of the residents of Isla Saona, who for the first time have access to this basic service for their development, based on a shared commitment to sustainability and environmental preservation. In the words of Pedro Galdez (Minguilo), president of the Mano Juan Neighborhood Council: “We are living a before and after in the history of this community”.

According to this recognition, “Energizing Saona” not only embodies the fundamental principles of sustainability, but also acts as a beacon of inspiration for other communities and organizations seeking a path towards clean energy and environmental preservation.

“Isla Saona has become the first and only island in the hemisphere with 24/7 clean energy and, from this vision, we want this project to be a flagship of clean energy and a reference for other similar projects in the region.” said Rolando González Bunster, president of InterEnergy Group, CEB’s parent company.

Energizing Saona has been developed under the master plan ‘Sustainable Saona’ promoted by MIMARENA, whose main objectives are the dignity of its inhabitants and the correct control and sustainability of this protected area that belongs to the Cotubanamá National Park. Regarding this initiative, President Luis Abinader said during his visit to the island last July: “With the projects we are developing here, we seek to improve the quality of life of its population so that it becomes a model of sustainability, where there is health and comprehensive education”.

In conjunction with MIMARENA, CEB is working with the community on several lines of action that include a waste management plan, access to drinking water through dispensers that avoid the use of disposable materials, the development of local entrepreneurship linked to sustainable natural resources, the promotion of sustainable fishing through the Island’s Fishermen’s Association, and the implementation of electric mobility with land and sea vehicles to reduce the island’s carbon footprint and lower costs. In addition to providing Internet access.

With this achievement, Isla Saona is positioned as an outstanding example in the responsible use of sustainable energy sources and demonstrates the commitment of CEB and its allies to promote clean energy solutions for the well-being of the community and the development of the region.