WILLEMSTAD - The government of Curaçao has decided to maintain the feed-in tariffs for consumers and companies that generate electricity with solar panels at a level of 0.25 Antillean guilders (NAf) per kilowatt hour.
Since 2011, it has been possible for private individuals and companies on Curaçao to generate electricity for their own use through solar panels. The feed-in tariffs are determined annually.
Below international payback periods
"By maintaining the current feed-in rates as of January 1, 2021, it will be ensured that private individuals or companies can realize a reasonable payback period that is now even below the usual international payback periods," writes the government of Curaçao. "This also means that the purchasing costs for the network company are reasonably in line with the fuel clause as part of the regular end-user rates for electricity."
According to the government, the market for solar panels has grown again cautiously in 2019 and that growth has continued in 2020. "The most important factor in this is the average decrease in investment for an installation with solar panels, in combination with the reasonably stable level of the regular end-user tariffs for electricity. This has a favorable effect on the payback period for end users with their own sustainable electricity production for their own use because of the savings that result."
Electricity grid fee
By means of the 'Tariff Directive for small-scale sustainable power supply', the government of Curaçao has now decided to leave the tariffs unchanged. The fixed monthly fees that solar panel owners must pay to cover the costs for the use and availability of the electricity grid, the network connection and the production capacity are also maintained.