Toward 100% sustainable energy production and a structural decrease in energy demand: Curacao, as a case study of small island developing states

Abstract

The exploitation of fossil fuels is generally considered to be the largest source of global greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, fossil fuels are also considered as a finite source of energy. Since the major part of electricity production in the world still comes from fossil fuels, utility companies have necessarily started to focus more on the application of sustainable energy sources. However, replacing fossil fuels by renewable sources such as wind and solar energy comes with some specific challenges. A major issue with regard to solar and wind energy is that energy production is weather dependent. In addition to a season-dependent output level, daily fluctuations in production can also be observed.2 SIDS: Een door de Verenigde Naties onderscheiden groep van 57 eilanden die vanwege hun kleinschaligheid gekenmerkt worden door niet alleen een kleine, interne economische markt, maar ook door relatief hoge kosten voor energie en infrastructuur. Deze eilanden zijn bijzonder kwetsbaar voor de gevolgen van klimaatverandering en een mogelijke natuurramp. De Verenigde Naties onderscheiden zes geografisch gespreide groepen van SIDS: eilanden in respectievelijk het Caribisch gebied;

Energy-Efficient Building Design for a Tropical Climate: A Field Study on the Caribbean Island Curaçao

“…A recent study performed by Bulbaai [21] shows that the energy use of air conditioners in the household sector in Curaçao is: 18.2% of the total energy use in in the low-income category; 26.3% in the middle-income category and; 27.5% in the high-income category. Air conditioners consume about 41% of total energy use in hotels, 54% in office buildings and 27% in supermarkets.…”

“…Cost savings, rather than environmental concerns, appear to be the most important driver of energy-saving behavior in Curaçao. In addition, the households in Curaçao are unaware of many of the available energy-efficient options that they could apply to reduce their costs and improve thermal comfort [21]. Furthermore, policies, regulations, and energy prices can influence the energy behavior of occupants.…”

“…For the longer axis of a building, the best orientation in Curaçao is perpendicular to the East-West direction. This ensures that the majority of the walls and windows obtain the maximum input of daylight and airflow [5,21]. To minimize the negative effect of direct sunlight, the windows and the façades should be shaded, by e.g., overhangs, other types of shading or by vegetation as a shield to protect the façades and windows from the direct sunlight.…”