WILLEMSTAD - Recently Refineria di Kòrsou (RdK) and the Curaçao Road Construction Company (CWM) signed a contract regarding the construction of the necessary infrastructure for an Eco-Industrial Park on the site west of the refinery. These lands are part of sites that are not available for exploitation by the new operator of the refinery.
Based on this assignment to CWM, RdK, in collaboration with the Curaçao Ports Authority (CPA) and the curaçao Dry Dock (CDM), is taking the first step towards developing the area as defined in the Masterplan 2021 for the 'Port of Curaçao' approved by the Council of Ministers. With the intended sustainable economic development of the available sites, in addition to diversifying the existing industry, the main aim is to create new jobs.
The construction of Eco-Industriepark Schottegat consists of 3 phases. CWM will soon start preparations for the first phase on the site west of the refinery. This site is approximately 65 hectares and is bordered by Schottegatweg-Noord, the Nijlweg, the refinery and a wetland that is connected to the Schottegat.
The Eco-Industry park will house sustainable light activities that do not pollute the environment and that do not cause any nuisance to the environment. For example, projects from the 'Living Lab Curaçao' study can be given a place there. This study is being conducted by TNO in collaboration with RdK, Aqualectra, Selikor, Curoil, CPA, ABC Busbedrijf, the ministries of AZ, MEO, VVRP and GMN, as well as a number of Dutch companies. The Living Lab is aimed at testing innovative solutions for the energy and mobility transition.
One of the first projects to be built at the new Eco-Industry park is a 1 MWp solar park with a connected charging station for electric buses from ABC Busbedrijf, with a battery reserve and an energy management system. With this system a complete sustainable chain is realized from energy generation to consumption.
Expansion to a 5 MWp energy-producing solar park is also already part of this whole. In the future, the green energy from that solar park will be supplied to, among others, the other light industrial and innovative activities on the site. In a second and third phase of the total project, the solar park will be able to grow even further.
Stakeholders are taken into account in the development of the sites. Partly for this reason, there will be sufficient green areas on the site that not only have an aesthetic function, but also provide for the capture of dust and CO2 and the production of oxygen. There is also plenty of attention for the cultural and historical values in the area. In short, a first step towards an important development for Curaçao.