Dominican Republic green-lights 100MW PV installation

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
According to IRENA, the Dominican PV landscape surpassed the 160MW installed capacity mark last year (Credit: Flickr / Antonio Castagna)

One of the largest PV projects seen to date in the Dominican Republic has secured the planning nod, heralding a significant boost of nation-wide installed capacity.

A 100MW installation planned at Villarpando, in the Caribbean nation’s southwest, was signed off on Monday by national energy regulator CNE.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

The watchdog took to Twitter to explain the solar project will require over US$110 million in investment but save the country, in turn, US$30 million worth of oil imports.

The developer, Natural World Energy Corporation, started exploring the feasibility of the project in June 2016, submitting its planning application in April 2017.

The scheme is set to generate 70 permanent jobs, plus a further 400 during construction. A project with a 25-year lifespan, its supply will cover the needs of 195,000 households, CNE said.

The path to 85% renewables by 2035

This week’s contract signing reflects, CNE said, the will of Dominican president Danilo Medina to promote investments in renewable energies.

Should it complete with its planned 100MW size, the installation at Villarpando would bring a marked boost to the Dominican PV scene. Installed capacity stood at 166MW last year, according to IRENA.

The Caribbean state – working towards an 85% renewable target by 2035 – started laying down plans for PV projects in the earlier 2010s.

Projects unveiled since include a 116MW PV scheme, reportedly the Caribbean’s largest, a 1.5MW airport installation, a 25MW park in Barahona and a 361MW pipeline of solar and wind.

Others now look set to follow. Last updated this year, a government map shows various PV projects are progressing through the planning process, with most sitting in the 10MW-60MW capacity range.

See here for more information on the new Dominican PV project

Read Next

Premium
October 10, 2025
Gaëtan Masson of IEA PVPS warns of overcapacity, collapsing prices and slipping module quality in the new Trends in PV Applications report.
October 10, 2025
The European solar module market has reached a “state of equilibrium” in recent weeks, with stable prices and regular demand.
October 10, 2025
US solar recycling firm OnePlanet has achieved the R2v3 certification from electronics sustainability non-profit SERI, which represents the “highest standards of traceability”.
October 10, 2025
NTPC Renewable Energy Limited has signed an MoU with the Government of Gujarat to develop 15GW renewable energy projects in Gujarat.
October 10, 2025
Australia's renewable energy sector recorded its slowest month of the year for additions in September, with 5.8GW of new projects added to development pipelines, according to data from Rystad Energy.
October 9, 2025
The Australian government has announced the results of the fourth Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) tender, with 6.6GW of renewables awarded long-term contracts.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
October 21, 2025
New York, USA
Solar Media Events
November 25, 2025
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
December 2, 2025
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK