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CARICOM ENERGY QUARTERLY
January–June
Powered by theCARICOM Secretariat
30 JUNE 2015 Volume 1, Issue 1–2
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In this Issue 3. PAST HAPPENINGS, 2015
+ Caribbean Energy Security Summit+ Fifty-Fourth Special Meeting of the Council for Trade andEconomic Development (COTED), Energy
+ Fifty-Fifth Special Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development(COTED), Energy and Environment
+ Caribbean Clean Energy Technology Summit (CCETS) + US CARICOM Summit + Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA) Ministerial + Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) + Vienna Energy Forum
+ IRENA Island Conference
UPCOMING EVENTS, 2015
+ Curricula Development Workshop, Master’s Degree in Sustainable Energy andClimate Change Kingston, Jamaica
+ Regional Workshop on Creative Financing Tools and Approaches for SustainableEnergy Projects St. Michaels, Barbados
+ Caribbean Renewable Energy Conference Point a Pierre, Guadeloupe + Caribbean Renewable Energy Forum Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
29. PERSONALITY PROFILE
Kelly Tomblin, Jamaica
33. REETA PROJECT PROFILE The CARICOM Building Energy Efciency Project (CARICOM BEEP)
37. FEATURE ARTICLEThe Caribbean Centre for Renewal Energy and EnergyEfciency (CCREEE): Is There Ever a Right Time?
41. PROGRAMME BRIEFS
25.
MEMBERSTATE
PROFILE+ St. Vincent’s
Geothermal
RevolutionFull Steam Ahead
36.CEP PROFILE
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The Caribbean Energy Security Summit
PAST HAPPENINGS
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) at this year’s Caribbean Energy Security
Summit welcomed the commitment made by the United States Government, as well as
other partners and institutions, to assist in plugging the gaps that continue to arise in the
Caribbean energy sector.
The Prime Minister of the Bahamas and current chair of CARICOM, Rt. Hon. Perry
Christie, on behalf of the Community, lauded the US’ commitment at the conclusion of
the Summit.
The Summit which was held on 26 January 2015 in Washington DC, brought together
leaders from the Caribbean, including CARICOM Member States, International
Financial Institutions (IFIs), bilateral and multilateral organisations and the Vice
President of the United States of America, Joseph Biden.
The Summit was held in keeping with a commitment made by Vice President Biden to
meet with beneciaries and other key stakeholders of the Caribbean Energy Security
Initiative. The primary objective of the interaction was the identication of mechanisms,focusing mainly on the regulatory environment and coordination aimed at attracting
increased private sector investments within the Region’s sustainable energy sector.
In his remarks at the Summit, Vice President Biden stated that, “the US is prepared
to assist the Region, through the Caribbean Energy Security Initiative, to create the
conditions to attract private-sector investment.” He pointed out the need for clear,
transparent and fair procurement processes for power generation and the harmonisation
of the regulatory framework, which may allow businesses to invest in the entire region, rat
than just in a single country.
He further stated that the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) of the US
intensify its focus on developing clean energy projects in the Caribbean and also went o
note that OPIC had indicated that it would disburse the rst tranche in the amount of US$4
in nancing for the US$90M for the Blue Mountain Renewables 34 MW wind project in Jama
In addition, Prime Minister Christie welcomed the explicit commitment by Vice President Bi
to address the methodology and criteria utilised for ‘graduation’ of Caribbean countries by
Government as well as International Financial Institutions (IFIs) such as the World Bank
which the US has high-level representation.
In his presentation to the Summit, the CARICOM Chairman provided an overview of
Regional energy situation and underscored the importance of moving sustainable energy
the predictable supply and pricing benets to the top of the list of investment priorities for
Caribbean. He, however, indicated that the economies of the Region were characterised
very limited scal space, and that in such instances, conditions imposed in agreements with
further restricted the “space within which government could play”. He highlighted some of
progress made by Regional governments, including the adoption of National Energy Polic
and regional renewable energy targets under the Caribbean Sustainable Energy Roadm
and Strategy (C-SERMS), as well as the recently approved CARICOM Energy Policy. .
agreed that although the Region faced challenges, opportunities exist for development partn
to promote sustainable energy investment within the existing framework.
During the forum, there were interventions from a number of delegation heads, including T
Bahamas, Dominica, Jamaica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba
Dominican Republic, the European Union, New Zealand and Spain, as well as from multilat
organisations such as the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Internatio
Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), and the Organisation of American States (OAS) .
The Summit was apprised of lessons from Aruba which had contributed to a signicant reduc
of that country’s electricity tariff from an average of US38 cents per kWh in 2013 to US
cents in 2014, through the increased penetration of solar photovoltaics and the introductio
propane as a ‘replacement’ from diesel in some of its generation facilities.
“the US was prepared to assist the Region,through the Caribbean Energy Security Initiative,to create the conditions to attract private-sectorinvestment” – Vice President Joesph Biden, U.S.
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but reiterated the need for Partners to recognise and implement Regional strategies and initiatives.
Region highlighted the fact that the strategies for nancing and coordination required the suppo
Development Partners but that Regional ownership was key to the process. In this vein, Trinidad
Tobago advised of its intent to develop a regional nancing mechanism, the Caribbean Energy Fund
support from the IDB. Once operational, the Fund is expected to be used to leverage additional g
funding and private investments in support of clean energy projects within the Region.
During the Summit, there were three panel sessions that focused on –
The aim of the Sessions was to troubleshoot some practical and realistic options and opportunities
building, public-private partnerships in the Caribbean Energy Sector.
At the conclusion of the Summit, a joint Declaration was issued under the theme ‘Fostering a Cleaner
More Sustainable Energy Future in the Caribbean’ which can be accessed via the link.
+ Comprehensive Approaches to Energy Transformation which was moderated by theWorld Bank and featured presentations from Aruba, Colombia, Saint Lucia and the
Carbon War Room;
+ Public Sector Catalysing International Finance which was moderated by the
Council of the Americas and featured the IDB, Caribbean Development Bank (CDB),CARICOM Secretariat and the Canadian Government among the panelist; and
+ Overcoming Barriers to Investment which was moderated by the Atlantic
Council and had representation from IRENA, OPIC, AES Corporation and EmeraCaribbean Limited.
CARICOM Leaders and Secretary-General, Amb. Irwin LaRocque, with Vice-President of the United States, Joseph Biden (5th from theright in the middle row) at the Caribbean Energy Security Summit, 26 January, 2015, in Washington, D.C.
Vice President Biden used the Aruba experience to make the case of what was possible for the
rest of the Caribbean through fuel-switching and highlighted potential opportunities for power
generation from natural gas within the Region. He said that an appropriate regulatory framework
and political will was needed in order to attract investments to diversify the power generation in
the Caribbean from oil to a mix that included natural gas and renewable sources was.
While noting the opportunities highlighted, Member States indicated that a number of situations,
including the scal circumstances of the Region, were prohibitive. In addition, the need for the
identication of global public resources to stimulate investments in the infrastructure required to
support alternative energy technologies and energy efciency applications within the Region was
noted. It was also noted that the natural gas option was only cost-effective in some countries and
that the Eastern Caribbean States were committed to developing their indigenous geothermal
resources to provide base load power.
CARICOM also raised concerns about the graduation of a number of Member States, which
have relatively high per capita GDP, thus limiting their access to grants and concessionary loans
for addressing sustainable development issues. In particular, it was recommended that bilateral
donors and IFIs use the vulnerability indices of countries rather than per capita GDP, as Member
States deem it as more a realistic reection of their sustainable development situation. Member
States continue to lose signicant portions of their GDP due to the frequency and intensity of
natural disasters. While Vice President Biden supported the recommendation, he indicated that
access would be limited to nancing earmarked for the energy sector.
The Community pointed out that the Region was dedicating signicant efforts and resources
towards improving its energy situation, through the support of a number of Development Partners,
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During the rst week of February 2015, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariatconvened the Fifty-Fourth Special Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic andDevelopment (COTED) (Energy) at its Headquarters in Georgetown, Guyana. The Meeting ofOfcials preparatory to the Fifty-Fourth Special Meeting of the COTED (Energy) was held on 2February 2015, prior to the Ministerial Session which was held on 4 February.
Her Excellency, Amb. Manorma Soeknandan, Deputy Secretary-General, CARICOM, in herremarks, declared the meeting as an opportunity for advancing along the sustainable energypath by developing reliable access to secure, affordable, cleanand sustainable energy services, stating t hat “there is a broad c onsensus that our Regional energysystem, despite the progress already made, has to undergo signicant additional changes in
order to urgently meet the demands for modern, secure, reliable,efcient, cost effective energy services”.
Ambassador Soeknandan also reminded the Meeting of the needto utilise resources in a more effective and efcient way, notingthat Energy was about sustainable livelihoods and job creationalike, which has led to it being identied as a crosscutting areawithin the Strategic Plan [2015-2019] of the Caribbean Community
(CARICOM) for building economic resilience within the Region.
The keynote address was delivered by the HonourablePhillip Paulwell, Minister of Science, Technology, Energyand Mining of Jamaica and Chairman of the Meeting. Hehighlighted the signicance of the proposed establishmentof the CCREEE, noting that “In adopting a CARICOM
Energy Policy, our commitment to the meaningful
achievement of renewable energy targets is demonstrably clear... We must now give momentto the process of translating our ambitious commitments into tangible action at the regional anational levels. In this regard, the establishment of the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy Energy Efciency (CCREE), which was endorsed by the Thirty-Ninth COTED in November 2is most welcome and we must now proceed with those details which will ensure its effective
harmonious operations”.
Minister Paulwell commended the Region’s efforts in the area of sustainable energy development and reiterathe sentiments expressed by the Deputy Secretary-General, CARICOM, that signicant gaps remain and urthe collective action as a Community in addressing the development of the energy sector and a reduction oRegion’s fuel bill, he stated that “although sustainable energy solutions have made great strides in our regmany signicant gaps and barriers remain. In the coming decades, these barriers to renewable energy acceenergy efciency, and reliable grid development and deployment must be overcome through a cohesive regieffort coordinated and fully supported by each of us as Member States of CARICOM and I am condent thawill achieve our objectives”.
The most signicant aspects of the day were the key decisions taken at Meeting by the CARICOM EneMinisters. The Meeting endorsed the criteria and selection process for the Host Country of the Caribbean Cefor Renewable Energy and Energy Efciency (CCREEE) Secretariat, clearly noting that the host country selecwould be done through a competitive bidding process.
The Meeting also endorsed the CCREEE as the coordination hub for the implementation of regional renewenergy and energy efciency programmes, projects and activities, and recommended the selection of an InteDirector, noting that the appointment shall not prejudice the competitive process for selection of an ExecuDirector for the CCREEE. The Interim Director will be responsible for providing dedicated attention to managing the process of the establishment of the Centre, prior to the appointment of the Executive Director.
In addition to the aforementioned consensus reached on matters related to the proposed establishment of CCREEE, the Meeting also agreed on a number of areas for supporting sustainable energy developmenCARICOM, including:
Highlights of the Fifty-Fourth SpecialCOTED (Energy)
+ The strengthening of the regional coordination mechanism that was beingimplemented by the Energy Unit of the CARICOM Secretariat.
+ Adjustment of the scope of services that have been proposed by the CCREEE, toensure the necessary synergies and congruence with the work of the Energy Unitof the CARICOM Secretariat, so that there is no duplication of efforts, followingcompletion of an analysis of the institutions involved in sustainable energy activitiesin the Region.
+ Recommendations from the Fourth Caribbean Sustainable Energy Forum (CSEF IV)and that it was imperative to pursue actions for promoting sustainable energy usein the transportation sector.
+ That the Energy Unit of the CARICOM Secretariat, with the assistance of the CCREEE,should identify opportunities and make recommendations for greater energyefciency in the regional transport sector.
+ Recommendations from the Workshop on Energy Information Systems andKnowledge Management Systems.
+ To explore possibilities for regional benet under the Caribbean Energy SecurityInitiative (CESI).
+ Areas of cooperation in energy and climate change, including emerging opportunitiesunder the Post-2015 Development Agenda, for recommendations to the Fifty-FifthSpecial Meeting of the COTED (Energy and Environment).
+ That Trinidad and Tobago, through the CARICOM Secretariat, would provide detailson the Caribbean Energy Fund (CEF), which would be considered and discussed atthe next Special Meeting of the COTED on Energy.
PAST HAPPENINGS
The Honourable Phillip Paulwell, Minister of Science, Technology, Energy andMining of Jamaica and Chairman of the meeting
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The Fifty-Fifth Special Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED)
(Energy and Environment) was convened on the Thursday, 5 February 2015 at the Headquarters
of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat and was chaired by the Honourable Robert
Pickersgill, Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Jamaica.
In her brief Opening Remarks, Ambassador Manorma Soeknandan, Deputy Secretary-General,
CARICOM noted that prior to this, a Special COTED on Energy and the Environment had never
been held. Hence the meeting was considered timely, given the fact that issues under both
portfolios were related and sometimes overlapped. She further stated that the Meeting can be
deemed as a signicant step in advancing the Energy and Climate Change nexus and their
contribution to the sustainable development of the Community.
The Chairman, in his brief Opening Remarks, commended the Secretariat for organising the
Meeting which was considered a timely and laudable initiative. He urged that a unied EnergyPolicy Framework, as well as integration in regulation, be pursued. In addition, he acknowledged
that Energy Transformation and Climate Resilience Building were complex issues, and stated that
critical steps would have to be taken for Member States to achieve Sustainable Development.
In view of the foregoing, he welcomed the discussions that would occur during the Meeting,
especially those related to the identication of strategies for investment that would assist the
Region in realising Sustainable Energy Development, whilst mitigating and adapting to the effects
of Climate Change.
.Key Decisions
On conclusion of the Meeting, some key decisions which were taken by CARICOM Ministers with responsib
for Energy and the Environment i ncluded:
Key Decisions of the Fifty-Fifth SpecialCOTED (Energy and Environment)
+ The Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy efciency(CCREEE) - the Meeting reiterated support for the process of selectionof the Host Country as agreed at the Fifty-Fourth Special Meeting of theCOTED (Energy) held prior to the convening of this Meeting, in Guyanafrom 2-4 February 2015.
+ Integrating Climate Issues into the Caribbean Sustainable EnergyRoadmap and Strategy (C-SERMS) - the Meeting agreed thatsustainable energy and climate change were closely linked and thatthe transition to a low carbon energy sector within Member Statessimultaneously contributes to climate resilience, and also agreedto support the development of a regional strategy for reducing thevulnerability of the energy sector to climate effects.
+ The Post 2015 Development Agenda, including the Climate, Waterand Energy Nexus, Strategies for Increasing Climate AdaptationCapital Inows into Sustainable Energy Development, and ClimateResilience Building into Energy Planning- the Meeting approved thatSecretariat’s proposed plan on the Think-Tank for supporting MemberStates during the Inter-governmental negotiations on the Post-2015Development Agenda and underscored the importance of effectivecoordination between the Inter-governmental negotiations on thePost-2015 Development Agenda and the preparatory process for theThird International Conference on Financing for Development, in orderto ensure coherent and integrated regional positions.
+ Strategies for Optimising Cooperation between the Climate andEnergy Divisions at the National Level - the Meeting agreed on areasof functional cooperation in energy and the environment, includingpotential opportunities under the Post-2015 Development Agenda.
The Honourable Robert Pickersgill, Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Jamaica delivering Opening Remarks(Centre) is anked by Ambassador Manorma Soeknandan, Deputy Secretary-General, CARICOM (R) and Dr. Douglas Slater, AssistantSecretary-General, Human and Social Development, CARICOM Secretariat (L)
PAST HAPPENINGS
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Caribbean Clean EnergyTechnology Symposium (CCETS)
Over two hundred delegates from CARICOM and other countries attended the rst ever Caribbean
Clean Energy Technology Symposium which was held from 24-27 March 2015 in the United
States Virgin Islands (USVI). The symposium was co-hosted by the US Department of Energy,
Caribbean-Central American Action (C-CAA), and the government of the USVI in collaboration
with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
The CCETS brought together sector experts of the Caribbean to share best practices as well
as their knowledge on clean energy efciency and security for the Caribbean. Here, they were
able to work together to identify common goals and create action plans with deliverables that will
lead to increased access to energy efciency and renewable energy technology in Caribbean
countries.
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat during the pre-symposium session made
a presentation on the strategies for Caribbean sustainable energy and variable renewableenergy (VRE) grid integration which was presented by Dr. Devon Gardner, Programme Manager
for Energy at the CARICOM Secretariat.
During the CCETS there were several discussions and these were led by energy leaders and ostakeholders within and outside the Region. The discussion topics included assessing the current enlandscape, developing a workforce around green energy, nancing clean energy technologies exploring how utilities in the Caribbean region and other areas are adapting to a cleaner energy econas they maintain protable and more sustainable operations.
After the panel discussions several experts in the eld of energy shared their thoughts and ideas on eneducation, economic growth and clean energy, buildings and energy efci ency, electricity generationdelivery, energy assurance, base load electricity diversication and clean transportation.
The US Department of Energy also presented the “Energy Transition Initiative: Islands Playbook”action-oriented guide with steps on how to organise for a transition towards an energy system whicheliminate dependence on one or two imported fuels by relying on local resources. The Islands Playbalso includes templates and worksheets that highlight lessons learned from the symposium in the Uand other areas.
Furthermore, the Clean Energy Solutions Center highlighted its resources, webinars, training expert assistance services, as remarks on climate change were provided by representatives of the
Environmental Protection Agency.
Strategic partners of the CCETS and for future Caribbean energy initiatives included the CARICSecretariat, The Caribbean Council, CARILEC, University of the Virgin Islands’ Caribbean GrTechnology Center, Institute of the Americas, New Energy Events, Organization of American StaVirgin Islands Economic Development Authority, Virgin Islands Energy Ofce, and the Virgin IslaWater and Power Authority.
PAST HAPPENINGS
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US CARICOM SUMMIT: Obama Commitsto Deepening Energy Cooperation ThroughClean Energy Initiatives
CARICOM Leaders on the 9th April 2015 met with United States President Barack
Obama in Kingston, Jamaica for the US-CARICOM Summit which was centered largely
on energy security, affordable energy and climate change mitigation. It was here, that
President Obama reafrmed his country’s commitment in partnering with the Region
towards advancing economic development, security and good governance.
During the Summit, Leaders of the Region discussed broad ranging issues including
improving energy security, reducing energy costs, and ghting climate change.
CARICOM leaders were reassured that the United States would be deepening its
cooperation with the Region through several important initiatives.
One such initiative was the launch of a US$20 million Clean Energy Finance Facility for
the Caribbean and Central America to encourage investment in clean energy projects.
The Facility would provide early-stage funding to catalyze greater private and publicsector investment in clean energy projects. It would also draw on the expertise of the U.S.
Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and the U.S. Trade and Development
Agency (USTDA) in coordination with the U.S. Agency for International Development
(USAID) and the Department of State.
It was also highlighted that the OPIC was in advanced talks to nance a 20 MW solar fa
in Jamaica, and has already committed to nancing Jamaica’s largest private-se
wind farm, a 36 MW facility in Malvern, St. Elizabeth Parish. OPIC is actively looking
opportunities to support solar and wind energy projects in Jamaica and throughout the broa
Caribbean region.
Because of the reliance of Caribbean States on imported fuel the United States would
working with the Region towards the establishment of an Energy Security Task Force. The T
force would evaluate progress of the cooperation between the US, the Caribbean and Cen
American countries with the aim of identifying concrete steps to advance energy sector refo
regional integration and clean energy development.
Through the Summit it was revealed that the Caribbean Clean Energy Technology Sympos
(CCETS) was held in St. Thomas, USVI in March. There the Department of Energy of
United States assembled energy stakeholders and experts within the Caribbean to expl
opportunities ranging from clean energy, efciency, diversifying electricity generation, cle
transportation and energy education. Stakeholders were divided into working groups and th
groups would report on their progress at the 2016 Symposium to be hosted by Jamaica. Ait was indicated that the Department of Energy had launched a new Energy Scenario Plann
Tool¸ building on its Energy Transitions: Island Playbook, to help island communities plan cl
energy projects that are most likely to attract investment, capitalize on local resources,
meet the energy needs of consumers.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Ministry of Science, Technology, Ene
and Mining in Jamaica signed a statement of intent that sought to advance shared inter
in sustainable energy. Potential areas that were identied for cooperation included ene
conservation and efciency, energy infrastructure, micro grids and energy storage,
diversication, and energy policy. Moreover, USAID was launching a complementary pro
focused on the Eastern Caribbean that would develop new nancing tools for energy efcie
and renewables.
In conclusion, it was agreed that the tourism industry was the largest energy user in
Caribbean. The Department of Energy, with its Pacic Northwest National Laboratory, and O
are undertaking the Caribbean Hotel Energy Efciency and Renewables (CHEER) initiat
which supports projects to improve energy and water efciency as well as the exchange of b
practices in the hotel and tourism industry.
PAST HAPPENINGS
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The initiative seeks to increase collaboration among participating countries to:
The North American Energy Ministers Working Group on Climate and Ener
comprising Canada, Mexico and the United States, will focus on a number of issues, includ
reliable and low-carbon electricity grids, deployment of clean energy technologies includ
renewables, and energy efciency for equipment, appliances, industries and buildings. The
Ministerial-level Working Group will also look at carbon-capture, use and storage, clim
change adaptation and resilience emissions from the oil and gas sector.
The ECPA was launched at the 2009 Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago by Presid
Obama, in support of the Summit Declaration on Energy. It provides a medium for independ
states within the Western Hemisphere to collaborate on efforts aimed at addressing comm
energy and climate change issues through collective programs, projects, and initiatives.
At the First Hemispheric Energy Ministerial held in April 2010, seven thematic areas for regio
collaboration were agreed on, namely: (i) energy efciency; (ii) renewable energy; (iii) efc
use of fossil fuels; (iv) energy infrastructure; (v) energy poverty; (vi) sustainable forests and l
use; and (vii) adaptation.
The Third ECPA Ministerial will be hosted by Chile in 2017 .
Clean Energy Initiatives Launched at the SecondMinisterial Meeting of the Energy and ClimatePartnership of the Americas (ECPA)
Several CARICOM Energy Ministers joined fellow western hemispheric energy ministers
and representatives from International Organisations at the Second Ministerial Meeting
of the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA) on 25 – 26 May 2015 in
Merida, Mexico, to advance discussions aimed at developing concrete actions to combat
climate change and enhancing the sustainability of the energy sector.
The Ministerial Meeting, which was held just prior to the Sixth Clean Energy Ministerial
(CEM6) on 27 – 28 May 2015, announced the creation of the Western Hemisphere
Clean Energy Initiative and the establishment of the North American Energy
Ministers Working Group on Climate and Energy. The Meeting also established an
ECPA Steering Committee tasked with reviewing, validating and monitoring the policy
and technical activities of the Work Plan.
Through the ECPA Western Hemisphere Clean Energy Initiative, participating countriesagreed to work towards collectively doubling their renewable sources, such as, solar,
wind, small-scale hydropower, sustainable biomass, and geothermal, by 2030.
PAST HAPPENINGS
+ Facilitate each country’s roadmap to achieve its renewable energygoals in the context of its broader energy infrastructure
+ Increase availability of quality renewable resource data
+ Share modeling and simulation toolkits
+ Cooperate on effective energy policy development and planning
+ Enhance the exibility and resilience of grid systems
+ Foster energy innovation and promote workforce capacity and training
+ Focus on the energy-water nexus
+ Promote energy access, including for remote communities
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the globe were also announced. These are:
President Barack Obama, via a video message, announced that the Seventh CEM would
held in the United States in 2016, while China’s Minister of Science and Technology Wan G
signaled that country’s intent to host the 8th CEM in 2017.
New Global Challenges announced at the Sixth Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM6)
Several CARICOM Energy Ministers, along with US Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz
joined Energy Ministers from the Western Hemisphere and International Development
Partners at the Sixth Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM6) on the 27 – 28 May 2015 in
Merida, Mexico. The main objective of this year’s Ministerial was to develop clean energy
technology solutions and policies that could assist in reducing of the devastating effects
of climate change and pollution.
US Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, in his address, declared that both the Clean Energy
Ministerial and Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA) provide, “a
vital opportunity for some of the world’s most important clean energy leaders to come
together to cooperate on clean energy solutions ahead of the climate negotiations which
is slated to be held in Paris this December”. He also highlighted the pivotal role of the
Ministerial in fast-tracking the transition towards a cleaner and friendlier global economy.
A key output of the Meeting was the launch of the second phase of the CEM (CEM
2.0) which is expected to play a key role in accelerating the transition to a global clean
energy economy. In an effort to facilitate this process, a CEM Steering Committee was
established to provide year round strategic guidance and leadership for CEM-related
initiatives, and to prioritise efforts aimed at deriving greatest impact.. Three new global
initiatives under the CEM which will address major technology and policy issues across
PAST HAPPENINGS
+ The establishment of a global race under the Clean Energy MinisterialGlobal Lighting Challenge to accelerate the sale of good, affordableand energy efcient lighting products to 10 billion in the shortestpossible time. The initiative will be supported by the United States,India, South Africa, Australia, China, France, Germany, Indonesia,Korea, Sweden, Mexico, Russia and the Directorate General for Energyof the European Commission and is aimed at decreasing the annualamount of Carbon Dioxide emissions.
+ The announcement of efforts by the United States to signicantlyscale up the Clean Energy Solutions Center which has just formeda partnership with the Climate Technology Centre and Network. Thiswill be achieved through an increase in the number of global expertsemployed and is aimed at signicantly boosting the response torequests for assistance. It is also intended that a new portal dedicatedto Clean Energy Finance, will be established. The Solutions Center hasprovided expert policy assistance to more than 80 countries worldwide.
+ The establishment of national roadmaps and st rategies under theCEM Power System Challenge geared at increasing energy efciencyby capitalising on renewable sources of energy, such as solar andwind power, as well as by focusing on the introduction of smart gridtechnologies. Countries such as Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Norway, South Africa, Sweden,the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and the Directorat e Generalfor Energy of the European Commission have pledged their supportby endorsing principles which will drive their countries towards moreresilient, affordable and clean supply of energy in the future.
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The Vienna Energy Forum (VEF) 2015 themed ‘Sustainable Energy for Inclusive Development’
was held from 18-20 June 2015 at the Hofburg Palace, Vienna, Austria. The event brought
together participants from about 60 countries, including 24 ministers, as well as high-level
dignitaries and senior representatives of international and non-governmental organizations,
academia, civil society and the private sector. The event was organized by the UN Industrial
Development Organization (UNIDO), Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International
Affairs, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), the UN Secretary-General’s
Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All) initiative and the Austrian Development Agency (ADA).
VEF 2015 convened against the backdrop of three crucial events set to take place in 2015:
the Third International Conference on Financing for Development to be held in Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia, in July; the UN Summit for the Adoption of the post-2015 Development Agenda taking
place in New York, US, in September; and the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties(COP 21) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to be held in Paris,
France, in December. VEF 2015 aimed to contribute to the post-2015 development agenda and
climate processes by emphasizing their multiple co-benets, and by showcasing best practices
and actions on the ground.
The event consisted of high-level panel discussions
and parallel sessions considering a range of issues,
including energy efciency, public-private partnerships
(PPPs), sustainable transport and innovative nancing
mechanisms for sustainable energy. Speaking in High-
Level Panel IV, Regional Strategies for Sustainable
Energy and Best Practices, His Excellency Dr. Vince
Henderson, Permanent Representative of Dominica
to the UN and Chair of the Small Islands’ Energy
Initiative (SIDS DOCK), gave the perspective of Small
Island Developing States (SIDS) and said that regional
approaches work best. He discussed similarities and
differences in the SIDS regions, noting, for instance,
that the issue of access was different in each as
the Pacic suffers from a lack of modern energy
infrastructure, whilst the Caribbean has infrastructure
but the cost for access is at times, prohibitive. He
lauded partners, such as UNIDO, Austria and the EU,
and called for resource rich-islands to help pass clean
energy technologies on to islands. Hon. Darcy Boyce,
Minister for Energy, Telecommunications, Immigration
and Investment, Barbados, participated in High
Level Panel VIII, Post 2015 Development Agenda,
and described issues of energy security in SIDS
and the linkages with investments and the economy.
He underscored the importance of involving youth,
discussed borrowing rates and access to funding for
climate adaptation, and welcomed the future opening
of the Caribbean Center for Renewable Energy and
Energy Efciency. He called for research on how to
get more energy, food and water from the sea through
emerging technologies such as Ocean Thermal Energy
Conversion (OTEC). Dr. Warren Smith, President of the
Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), was the keynote
speaker in High Level Panel IX, New and Innovative
Financing Mechanisms for Sustainable Energy. Dr.
Smith highlighted “adequate, timely and appropriate
nancing” as a key challenge to realizing sustainable
energy. Emphasizing concessional nancing, he
explained that traditional nancing instruments used
for diesel and gas power generation are inadequate for
renewable energy development because of real and
perceived barriers.
A series of side events also took place throughou
three-day forum. One of these was the “Energizing
SAMOA Pathway – Launch of the Global Networ
Regional Sustainable Energy Centres for Small Is
Developing States (SIDS)” Session, which was
hosted by SIDS DOCK, the Energy Branch of UN
and the Energy Unit of the CARICOM Secretariat.
event included a panel that featured, inter alia: H.E
Vince Henderson, Hon. Darcy Boyce and Dr. De
Gardner. The Panelists highlighted the opportun
and synergies that are possible under the centres
emphasized the transformative role that the netwo
regional sustainable energy centres for SIDS – Pac
Caribbean, Africa and Indian Ocean – can pla
enhancing SIDS SIDS cooperation.
The VEF concluded with the presentationthe Outcome Document consisting of eight messages which will be transmitted to the th
2015 global processes.
In key message one, the Forum recommends
approval of the SDGs in September by the UN Gen
Assembly, in particular SDGs 7 (access to sustain
energy) and 9 (sustainable industrialization).
message further cites major scaling up of action
the ground as key to the success of the 2015 gl
development debates. Key message two links c lim
action to action on SDGs. This message descr
the three major global debates in 2015 as a
opportunity to link climate action and the SD
Key message three states that two-thirds of en
efciency potential will go untapped unless effec
policies and measures are put in place to a
necessary action and investments. Key message
VIENNA ENERGY FORUM (VEF) 2015
The event brought togetherparticipants from about 60countries, including 24 ministersas well as... – Vienna Energy Forum 2015
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21 2CARIBBEAN ENERGY QUARTERLY January - June 2015CARIBBEAN ENERGY QUARTERLY January - June 2015
underlines that, to meet energy efciency and renewable energy potential, scaled up action and investments
are needed in targeted areas, such as cities, and in key sectors such as industry, transport, power generation
and buildings. Key message ve states that the nexus between energy, transport, food, water and health is
inseparable is an essential contributor to social progress and human wellbeing, and needs to be approached in
an integrated manner for adequate solutions. Key message six states that greater effort is needed to str engthen
the synergies between the three 2030 SE4All goals: (ensure universal energy access, double the global rate
of improvement in energy efciency and double the share of renewable energy). Key message seven outlines
that much of the potential for greater impact in climate and development action goes untapped because of lack
of regulatory cohesion and lack of synergy between national and sub- national efforts. This message highlights
the need for regional approaches, such as regional centers, on renewable energy and energy efciency, and
cohesive policy actions for lowering transaction costs and promoting economies of scale for regional approaches.
Key message eight states that sustainable energy and women’s empowerment are mutually reinforcing goals
and that empowering women to become agents of sustainable energy will be key to achieving truly inclusive and
sustainable development.
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the French Government, wi
regional Government of Martinique, convened the Conference on Island Energy Transition
focused on accelerating the uptake of renewables on islands. There were over two hu
invited participants from Caribbean islands who discussed, inter alia: renewable res
assessments as a prerequisite to investment; waste-to-energy systems, which can reduce
disposal and electricity costs; and renewable-based desalination, which can provide island
fresh water from the surrounding sea. This was stimulated by the fact that energy is a c
development challenge for islands, and most electricity is generated from imported diesel fu
high cost; thus, fuel import bills often exceed total export revenues. Conference participant
the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) included Hon. Ian Liburd, Minister of Public Infrastru
Post Urban Development and Transport in the Federal Government of St. Kitts and Nevis, a
Devon Gardner, Programme Manager for Energy at the CARICOM Secretariat.
The outcome of the meeting was summarized through the Martinique Action Plan (MAP)
We, the participants of the Martinique Conference on Island Energy Transitions, have
Martinique on 22-24 June 2015 to advance the goal of unlocking and mobilizing the h
nancial and technical and natural resources that are needed to transition the energy syste
small island developing states (SIDS) to a sustainable energy future.
We note that SIDS face signicant economic and social challenges, including those a
from climate change, energy price and supply volatility, and energy insecurity stemming
ISLAND ENERGY TRANSITIONS: Pathwaysfor Accelerated Uptake of Renewables
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the reliance on imported fossil fuels. In this context, we underline that many islands are global leaders in the
promotion of renewable energy but much remains to be done to reach set ambitions.
We further note that SIDS possess immense renewable resource potential, including biomass, geothermal, hydro,
marine, solar and wind. We recognize that rapid progress to diversify the energy mix by accelerating the cost-
effective use of domestic renewable energy sources, coupled with energy efciency measures, is an essential
element of a safer and more prosperous future.
We recall the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action Pathway (SAMOA pathway), adopted in September 2014 at
the Third International Conference on SIDS, which stresses the importance of renewable energy and requests
a strategy for deployment of renewable energy resources, development of sustainable energy roadmaps, and
access to increased capital ows for sustainable energy projects.
We emphasise that renewable energy is one of the key means for mitigating climate change and strengthening
resilience against its impact. The upcoming UN Climate Change Conference in Paris (COP21) will be an
opportunity to showcase the progress in deployment of renewable energy to date and to renew c ommitments to
act in the years to come.
We recognise that the SIDS Lighthouses Initiative, launched at the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Summit
in 2014, provides a holistic framework for action to support the transformation of island energy systems, and
a means for communication through its Global Renewable Energy Islands Network (GREIN).We acknowledge
that partners of the SIDS Lighthouse Initiative continue to grow, a testament to the commitment of partners to
accelerate an energy transition in SIDS.
We recognize also that existing programs and strategies of SIDS – inter alia, the Sustainable Island Initiative
(SIDS DOCK), Caribbean Sustainable Energy Roadmap and Strategy (C SERMS), and Pacic Islands Energy
Policy and Strategic Action Plan (PIESAP) – provide orientation for the SIDS Lighthouse Initiative and other global
partnerships to support the transformation of island energy systems.
We note that public-private partnerships can be instrumental in unlocking the investment capital that islands
require to fully exploit their r enewable energy potential and acknowledge that this exploiting potential will require
focused and targeted action to improve access to capital at affordable rates.
We acknowledge that community engagement and support of civil society is critical for the long term success of
the transition process.
We welcome the opportunity for dialogue in Martinique that has provided a platform for exchange of views and
experiences of many stakeholders and, based on this dialogue we recommend to:
+ Facilitate the implementation of programmes and projects to achievconcrete outcomes through:
+ Contribute, where applicable and appropriate, to the developmenof concrete actions and the realization of projects outlined below wit
a view to demonstrating progress atCOP 21 in Paris+ Support the energy transition of SIDS through concrete actions to
open island markets and planning processes to renewable energyoptions in a fair and systemat ic way, facilitate the nancing of suchoptions, and build human and institutional capacities to exploitthem effectively.
We encourage the continuing focus on the deployment of renewable energy in SIDS and welcome the upcom
Lighthouses events in Hawaii, Bangkok, and Cape Town [supported by USA, Japan and Germany, respectiv
in the lead up to COP21 to maintain the momentum for action.
Enabling policy and regulatory environments to attract renewable energyinvestment, including strengthened independent regulatory authority to setambitious renewable energy targets, allow fair returns on capital investments,and provide incentives for future projects which can support the energytransformation of SIDS while helping to ensure reliable, affordable energyservices to island citizens.
Encouraging the use of nancial risk mitigation instruments and blended public-private nancing structures to reduce the cost of capital.
Dissemination and promotion of successful business models.
Strengthening of technical and institutional capacities to assess and developrenewable energy potentials, generate proposals for bankable renewable energy
projects, and manage their integration into energy systems.
Intensifying efforts to assess and develop all sources of renewable energyincluding those not commonly considered in islands settings, such as biomass,geothermal and marine, that can have a transformative impact to countries andregions.
Enhancing the application of solutions such as waste-to-energy systems,renewable energy desalination systems, hybrid systems incorporating greatershares of solar and wind generation in the power sector, and electric vehiclesfueled by renewable electricity in the transport sector, to fully benet from thepotential renewable energy offers.
Regional and international cooperation including among SIDS to encouragethe exchange of experiences, accelerate the learning process, and facilitatecoordination of effort.
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St. Vincent and the Grenadines has a population of 104,000 people and is 150 square miles,
lying 61o West or approximately 100 miles west of Barbados, and 13o North or 24 miles south of
Saint Lucia. From a morphological point of view, St. Vincent shares similarity with the remaining
Windward Islands and consists of a central axial r ange of mountains, starting from La Soufriere
(1,234 m) in the north and extending to Mt. St. Andrew in the south. The island is entirely volcanic
and has six main volcanic centres located along its central axis.
Like a majority of CARICOM Member States, with the exception of Trinidad and Tobago, St.
Vincent and the Grenadines is heavily dependent on imported oil for its commercial energy
needs, including electricity generation. This oil dependency was most signicantly reected in the
historically high electricity rate of 40 US cents per kilowatt hour during 2014, which resulted from
an increase in the fuel s urcharge passed unto customers due to damage caused by the oods of
December 2013 to hydropower plants in the island. St. Vincent and the Grenadines has a longhistory of hydroelectricity generation, dating back t o 1952, which now constitutes around 20% of
the electricity supply.
Despite the obvious benets, the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines in recent years
made the decision to restrict further hydropower development on account of what was deemed to
be the “signicant social impacts to v illagers that relied heavily on the rivers”. Geothermal power
emerged therefore as the most suitable option for
production of baseload electricity from an indigenous,
renewable source of energy within St.
Vincent. According to Prime Minister Hon. Ralph
Gonsalves:
Interest in geothermal development in St. Vincent is
not new and, as early as 1991, studies were conducted
as part of the larger Eastern Caribbean geothermal
reconnaissance project. Those studies suggested that
St. Vincent was not a primary geothermal development
area when compared to the islands of Nevis, Montserrat
and Dominica, which were identied as being most
suited for geothermal development within the Eastern
Caribbean. Later studies (1996-2012) revealed
however, that St. Vincent’s geothermal resource is
deeply hosted and the electricity generating capacity
in excess of 100 megawatts, which is well beyond the
required capacity.
Given the revelations from the last two decades of
studies, the obvious question is:
The short answer is likely to be the high upfront
costs and the risks involved in geothermal resource
exploration, particularly drilling. A more extensive
answer would however be related to the deeply
incised valley-ridge topography on the anks of La
Soufriere and the signicant challenges that this
morphology pose to geological eld work, including
the mobilization of drilling rigs and other engineering
equipment for test drilling. This is compounded by the
seeming unsuitability of the area to the enginee
equipment for test drilling. This is compounded by
seeming unsuitability of the area to the enginee
and construction of the power plant, should the tes
yield success, and the electricity transmission upgr
that would be required for grid connection. Moreov
there are also challenges related to geohazards s
The bottom line is that an “absence of economie
scale” makes geothermal development in St. Vince
very expensive option, which does not attract sufc
interest from private investors. This is not a situa
that is unique to St. Vincent; it is, in fact, simila
the case of other OECS countries. Dominica, w
has made the most signicant progress, also
load demand and similar challenges. Nonethel
that country has successfully drilled three explora
wells and one production well, proving the comme
viability of their geothermal reservoir, through pu
nancing of which a signicant component was gr
aid – approximately US $27 million – that was prov
by the French Government and t he European Uni
This injection of capital bridged the crucial funding
between the early, risky startup phase and the mat
less risky production phase of the project, when
resource have been proven and the project is bank
and attractive to private capital. Dominica’s
geothermal resource and its geographical proximi
the French Overseas Departments of Martinique
MEMBER STATE PROFILE St. Vincent & The Grenadines
St. Vincent’s Geothermal Revolution:Full Steam Ahead
“Geothermal power will become the gamechanger for economic development in St. Vincentand the Grenadines”. – Prime Minister Hon. Ralph Gonsalves, St. Vincent
Why has geothermal development in St. Vincent not progressed beyond the preliminary survey phase?
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Guadeloupe captured the attention of France. It was in the interest of the Government of France
to support the development of the geothermal resources in Dominica as the project has the
potential to provide electricity to the overseas departments via submarine cables, which, one the
one hand, reduces their cost of electricity and, on the other hand, adds to the carbon reduction
strategy of France, in particular, and the EU, in general. Only one other OECS country, Montserrat
which is a British Dependency, has made similar progress. This has been mostly attributed to the
injection of public funds from the UK Department for International Development (DFID).
The lesson of the aforementioned experiences is that “derisking” of geothermal projects requires
public nancing, which is frequently not available within our respective countries. An ability to
attract international public (donor) nancing is therefore important for the replication of the more
successful of the OECS models, viz. Dominica and Montserrat.
A critical fact is that test drilling can account for up to 15% of the overall capital cost of the project
and is typically required at a stage where the risk of project failure is still high. For countries such
as St. Vincent that have very limited scal exibility, the Government cannot absorb the risk and
overcoming the funding gap will require the injection of grants. An inability of the St. Vincent
project to attract the requisite grant funding caused the Government to approach its geothermal
development in an alternative way. The “public private partnership (PPP)” method seemed to be
a logical choice for achieving the capital injection that was necessary for nancing some of the
early stage activities without the injection of capital from Government; this required, nonetheless,
some degree of public commitment t o geothermal power development.
The Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines invited proposals from private c ompanies to
develop “new geothermal sites” through concessions, in which a majority of the risk associated
with the exploration was taken by the private developer. A Letter of Intent was signed in January
2013 between the Government and two private partners – Reykjavik Geothermal and Light &
Power Holdings respectively. The Letter signaled the mutual intent of the Parties to proceed with
additional good faith negotiations designed to develop the Geothermal Project on the basis of an
investment decision, which will contain detailed estimates of capital and operating costs, target
tariffs, rates of return and rates of taxation, after the resource have been proven. This model
provides immediate access to technical expertise and nancial resources and requires:
Under this arrangement, the geothermal consortium (Reykjavik Geothermal and Light & Power
Holdings) and the Government will incorporate a company under which the project will be
developed under an equity sharing arrangement. Government’s equity portion will be nanced
through concessionary loans, grants (where available), land contribution, and tax concessions.
Though there is cognizance that the injection of capital by the private investor will come at a
“high cost” on the basis of the fact that this is being done during the riskier phase of the project
development, there is optimism that the return on equity may be brought above the threshold
required by the investor if Government, with the support of its international development partners,
can increase the grant portion of the initial project
development costs. St. Vincent is therefore anticipating
the opportunities available for assistance from the Drill
Risk Fund of the CDB, IDB and JICA, which has the
potential to keep the return on equity for the project
investors above their threshold rate and lower the c ost
of power to the utility.
The project is using best practice project management
methods and control processes, including the decision
gate process typically deployed for large engineering
projects. Using the decision gate, all Parties are able
to assess progress, and the concomitant technical
and economic feasibility associated with same, at key
project milestones. The Clinton Foundation has been
providing decision support to Government, ensuring
that the agreements developed contain, legal, nancial,
and other terms that are reasonable for all Parties.
The preliminary phase of the project was concluded
and the result was a very optimistic outlook. The
positive outlook was largely due to the combination
of innovative data analysis; advanced technology
use; and partnership with an internationally credible
development team. The business model for the project
is currently being nalized and the Governmen
condent that this project still has the potentia
transform the energy sector of St. Vincent and
Grenadines, thereby reducing (perhaps elimina
altogether) dependency on imported diesel for po
generation. Once operational, the plant is expecte
supply the entire baseload power requirements for
country and increase renewable power generatio
over 80%, which is in excess of the target of 60%
2020 that was committed to under the National En
Action Plan.
The expectation is that the geothermal revolu
in St. Vincent will happen; as a consequence,
“game changing shift” in the sustainable econo
development of St. Vincent and the Grenadine
becoming increasingly possible.
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29 3CARIBBEAN ENERGY QUARTERLY January - June 2015CARIBBEAN ENERGY QUARTERLY January - June 2015
Ms. Kelly Tomblin’s trademark of rebuilding, rebranding and repositioning
appears to be paying dividends in the energy sector in Jamaica. In just a few
short years, the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS), under the leadership
of the charismatic Ms. Tomblin, has been making great strides to transform itself
into a market standard company.
JPS is a vertically integrated electric utility company and the sole distributor of
electricity in Jamaica. The Company is engaged in the generation, transmission
and distribution of electricity, and also purchases power from ve Independent
Power Producers. It owns and operates thirteen power generation facilities
four of which are conventional thermal generation plants and nine of which aresmall hydropower plants. Additionally, the company recently acquired minority
shares in a number of ventures seeking to add around 120 MW of renewables
to the national grid. And speaking of grid, JPS manages 43 substations and
approximately 14,000 kilometers of distribution and transmission lines.
Making Energy Strides in Jamaica
Ms. Tomblin, the President and Chief Executive Ofcer
of JPS, comes with years of experience and industry
knowledge and an unpretentious love of what she
describes as “the most fascinating industry in the
world”. Her journey with JPS, which began in April
2012, has witnessed, renewed interest in diversication
of power generation – including the addition of
increasing amounts of renewable energy to the grid
and the advancement of liquid fuel replacement by gas
generation systems. But it is perhaps the non-technical
issues, which are so frequently overlooked, that have
paved the way for much of the transformation within
the company. JPS, during her tenure, developed a
new mission and vision, which she recollects as an
important milestone.
Under Ms. Kelly Tomblin’s management, JPS is well on
its way to accomplishing a new energy revolution which
aims to nd a solution for every Jamaican. Moving away
from the recent internal and external trust crisis, JPS
has spent some US$22M to replace basic infrastructure
technology systems and distribution automation which
Ms. Tomblin believes is continuing to position the
company as a market standard. Nonetheless, JPS is
not without its share of difculties. Achieving public
satisfaction and proving that JPS is all about caring for
its customers has not been easy in a country where
there is a history of mistrust between consumers and
the utility.
“You’ve got to rebuild trust before you can be a true
energy partner and I think we are on the cusp of being
that true energy partner and having customers believe
that, ”the CEO stated.
Ms. Tomblin thinks that “functioning under a regulatory
framework which does not support conservation and
energy efciency” is the greatest challenge that fa
the JPS as the company seeks to increasingly
to a business model that meets the challenges
customers and explores the opportunities provided
the emerging energy situation. She explained that
company was only paid for kilowatt hours. She
suggested that there was urgent need for an indus
zone, with an economic development tariff, suppo
by a strong utility with a strong grid that can ach
greater resilience to natural disasters in what
hurricane zone (Jamaica).
According to Ms Tomblin, it was extremely pivotal
policy-makers establish a policy pathway that, not
articulates, but explicitly supports energy efciency
conservation. Moreover, they is need to take a ho
approach, which may be achieved through such
tools as integrated resource planning, to make
decisions that are necessary to support the establis
priorities. She believes that, for instance, renew
energy and natural gas, can work together to fo
and drive sustainable growth not only in Jamaica
the wider CARICOM Region. But most importantly,
believes that there is an absence of clarity regar
what the decision makers within the Region want;
quickly interjected that this issue has been a barrie
transformation within the energy sector as freque
not enough was being done to “ensure that the po
initiatives work together”.
“What we need to do to ensure that we keep pr
stable and affordable and to do that, we need to
Ensure we are looking at a holistic approach to
environment; and (b) make sure that we have c
priorities. In the energy triangle, there has got to
affordability, security and sustainability,” she said.
Referring to Jamaica, in particular, the JPS CEO wa
Ms. Kelly Tomblin JAMAICA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY JAMAICA, WES T INDIES
PERSONALITY PROFILE
“One of the proudest moments I’ve had was when I was standing inthat room, in a line ofce which is out in the eld and they went aroundthe room after saying, that’s like a pledge of the allegiance, the visionand mission of our company, and throughout the room, people wereable to not only repeat it, but really say how they contributed to it and I
just felt really a sense of alignment with that.” Kelly Tomblin
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The CARICOM Building EnergyEfciency Project (BEEP)
REETA PROJECTPROFILE
From the very beginning of 2015, the CARICOM Secretariat has been operating 15 per
cent more efciently in terms of energy utilisation and has provided all the services whichare expected and required of it while using ve sixths of the energy that was budgeted
for in the overall budget.
This is a remarkably signicant achievement which has resulted in nancial savings ofmore than USD 25,000 over the rst four months of 2015 compared to the corresponding
period in 2014. The result has been one of the initial and direct benets of the CARICOMBuilding Energy Efciency Project – also known as the CARICOM BEEP.
The project is one which has been initiated by the Energy Unit in the CARICOM Secretariat
and has been supported with technical assistance from the Renewable and EnergyEfciency Technical Assistance (REETA) Project that is implemented by Deutsche
Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) with funding from the
German government.
The project is intended to make real improvements in the utilisation of energy in the
CARICOM Secretariat by means of a number of complementary measures including -
One of the rst steps of BEEP was to establish a clear policy from the Management of the Secreta
and this has been published in the form of posters which highlight the Energy Vision of t he organisa
The Project Ofcer with responsibility for utilities has been mandated by the Secretariat to full the
of Energy Manager, who will be charged with actively addressing opportunities to improve the utilisa
of energy. Moreover, at the same time, an energy audit was undertaken to update the management t
on the issues and of opportunities to further improve the utilisation of energy through investments in m
energy efcient equipment and on-site electricit y generation.
The key ndings of the energy audit included the following –
The CARICOM BEEP is currently engaging with other development partners, apart from the GerGovernment, to explore opportunities for funding the energy efciency and renewable energy elemof the overall project.
In terms of energy efciency, the project will implement –
The more high prole aspects of the BEEP are for renewable energy and include –
A major achievement of the BEEP is the fact that the Management of the Secretariat is re-inves
savings derived from the energy management strategies in measures that s upport the implementatio
low cost energy efciency applications.
Overall, the BEEP is already showing some real benets within a few months of the project’s initiatio
is intended that the experience in the CARICOM Secretariat buildings can be replicated in other pu
buildings across the Region. Under the Regional Collaboration on Efcient Energy use in Build
(RCEEB), there are signicant activities that target public buildings including the development o
Minimum Energy Performance Standard (MEPS) in collaboration with CROS Q, as well as the
demonstration projects of the GEF funded Energy for Sustainable Development in Caribeean Build
(ESD) Project.
+ Improved energy management;
+ Energy efciency investments; and
+ On-site electricity generation using solar and biomass energy systems
+ Capacity building among staff members in CARICOM
+ The main use of energy (78%) is for air-conditioning to maintain a comfortableworking environment for CARICOM staff;
+ The other uses of energy are for articial lighting (13%) and computers (7%);
+ Investing in all the energy efciency measures suggested in the audit wouldresult in energy savings of 70% and nancial savings of USD $347,027;
+ A 250 kW solar PV system could deliver approximately 465,375 kWh annually;
+ The combined EE and RE implementation cost is estimated at approximately
USD $1,887,069;
+ The nancial benets of USD 556,445 could result in a simple payback period ofapproximately three and a half years.
+ Efcient lighting through the replacement of existing incandescent indoor lightswith LEDs, as well as the retrotting of exterior HPS lamps with induction lighting.
+ Efciency improvements in the air conditioning systems through replacement ofexisting chillers.
+ Passive building interventions, to include th e use of radiation barrier and reectiveinsulation to reduce the cooling cost for the building.
+ The installation of around 500 kW solar PV for self generation of electricity
through creative infrastructure that do not compromise the architecture and
design of the Building.
+ The possible introduction of biogas generation to supply power from bioenergy
sources, which are abundant in Guyana.
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The New CARICOM ENERGY PortalTogether with GIZ, through the Renewable Energy and Energy Efciency Technical
Assistance (REETA) Project, the CARICOM Energy Programme (CEP) has redesigned
and transformed its website into a Knowledge Management Portal to provide timely and
consistent information exchange and coordination between the CEP and its multiple
stakeholders. This transformation will allow for greater sharing and collaboration among
partners in the design and execution of energy initiatives and projects as well as lay the
foundational platform for the C-SERMS Information and Awareness Network.
Key Elements of the CARICOM KM Portal
Traditional approaches to knowledge management have centered around two distinct
perspectives: that of knowledge as an asset and knowledge as a process. The CARICOM
Energy Portal adopts a fusion of these two approaches to be truly effective: a Content
Management Systems (CMS), Localized “Best Practices”, Expertise and Opportunity
Location, and Communities of Practice (CoP).
Getting the Right Information to the Right People at the Right Time
The Portal is based upon the premise of getting the right information to the right people
at the right time, in “real time” by making documents simpler to categorize and easier
to retrieve.
The KM Portal integrates with other sustainable energy sources like Reegle and partners
(REN21, the World Bank, the UN, NREL), SEIN, CEIS, and the SIDS DOCK that are
capable of accessing, codifying and sharing structured as well as ad hoc, informal
knowledge from across the globe, with expertise distributed rather than centralized, and
users getting information where they are and in the format they prefer.
Filling the Existing Data Gaps
The C-SERMS Phase I Report identied several critical energy data and information gaps in
CARICOM member states: Electricity System/Infrastructure, Renewable Energy and Energ
Efciency, Transportation, CO2 Emissions, Policy and Administration
In support of lling these existing data gaps, and together with the CEIS, the CEP will u
the Energy Portal as the basis for an improved, modern regional energy information a
knowledge management architecture.
The CREEEM Database
Working with the World Bank and a consultant, the CEP has created t he Caribbean Renew
Energy and Energy Efciency Matrix (CREEEM). This preliminary database is hosted on the n
Energy Portal. The CARICOM members have agreed to build and establish this as the regio
energy database by 31st December 2015. This database is expected to link seamlessly w
the respective national databases.
There is already a tremendous amount of data produced in CARICOM about renewable ene
(RE) and energy efciency and conservation (EEC). By contributing to the CARICOM Ener
Portal members will gain access to next-generation digital tools, services, platforms, a
systems that support the collection, analysis, and reporting of energy data and information. V
the new CARICOM Energy Knowledge Management Portal today at www.caricomenergy.or
CEP PROFILE
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37 3CARIBBEAN ENERGY QUARTERLY January - June 2015CARIBBEAN ENERGY QUARTERLY January - June 2015
The Caribbean Centre for RenewableEnergy and Energy Efciency (CCREEE):Is There Ever a Right Time?
FEATURE ARTICLE
Over the past nine months, the establishment of the Caribbean Centre for Renewable
Energy and Energy Efciency (CCREEE) has been an agenda item in the majority
of meetings related to energy within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). But The
CCREEE, which has been designed to address t he implementation decit in theCARICOM sustainable energy sector and to support and coordinate the execution of
regional Renewable Energy (RE) and Energy Efciency (EE) projects and activities,
would be a new regional institution. As a result, concerns have been expressed around
whether the CCREEE can add value to a region where: (i) Member States, most of which
face challenges with regard to debt and limited scal space, are already inhibited in
their ability to service the cost of existing regional institutions; and (ii) there are already
an increasing number of stakeholders assisting Member States in improving their
energy situations.
Energy plays a vital role in the economic
development of any society: Energy is the engine
for the production of goods and services across all
economic sectors. With the exception of Trinidad
and Tobago, Member States are dependent on
imported oil and petroleum products for more than
90% of their energy services. But, collectively,CARICOM countries account for less than 0.2% of
global oil imports. Evidently t herefore, the Region
is very small as a market within the context of the
global oil economy and the heavy reliance on fuel
imports exposes the Caribbean to a high degree
of price volatility.
Over the past six months, the world has
experienced a serendipitous drop in oil prices
from around US$ 90 per barrel in October
2014 to nearly US$ 40 per barrel in March
2015. At current prices of around US$ 60 per
barrel, global oil prices are at a four year low.
Nonetheless, energy has found itself among the
top strategic issues shaping the global agenda in
2015; the uncertainty and impact of energy and
commodity price volatility has now established
itself as the number one issue for energy leaders
worldwide as fossil energy sources have been
becoming progressively costlier and prices, as
demonstrated by the most recent dramatic drop,are more volatile than ever.
Emerging risks and the resulting need to redene
energy infrastructure resilience, changing market
designs, evolving business models and shifting
geopolitical conditions, have resulted in a new
global energy landscape in which energy price
volatility has become the “new normal”.
High and generally unpredictable oil prices ha
consistently retarded the competitiveness
region goods and services, which has negati
impacted extraregional trade and stym
economic growth. The cyclical escalation
global crude oil prices makes the econom
of the Region extremely vulnerable to oil pshocks and is neither sustainable for supplies
affordable in the medium to long term. In term
impact on growth and development, it has b
estimated by the UNDP [2007] that for SI
such as CARICOM Member States, an incre
of US$ 10 in the world crude oil price transla
to a 1.5% decrease in GDP. But the impact of
decline in oil price will not necessarily be simil
reected in the economy; it has been report
for instance, that a 10% decline in the price
oil typically produces very little or no impact
growth and levels of employment. More rece
the United Nations Environment Program
[2014], in its Adaptation Gap Assessment Re
which examined sixteen SIDS between 2
and 2013, reported that for every 1% incre
in renewable energy investments within SI
there was an associated 0.05% increase
GDP. These correlations build credence to
potential transformative benets of increasing
applications and RE deployment within CARIC
in the near and medium terms.
A critical fact is that past efforts to transi
CARICOM economies to more sustainable ene
use have exposed signicant weaknesses
the design and institutional arrangements of
regional energy sector. The existing framew
A critical fact is that past efforts to transition CARICOMeconomies to more sustainable energy use have exposedsignicant weaknesses in the design and institutionalarrangements of the regional energy sector.
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was theage of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the
epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it wasthe season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it
was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”Charles Dickens. A Tale of Two Cities
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39 4CARIBBEAN ENERGY QUARTERLY January - June 2015CARIBBEAN ENERGY QUARTERLY January - June 2015
despite the millions of dollars in development
funding spent by multiple actors over the past
decades, has not yielded signicant results
because it is, in its current state, not capable
of generating the transformation we desire.
Member States will therefore remain at risk of
not achieving their sustainable energy goals and
the established national and Regional targets on
renewable energy and energy efciency.
In particular, the Caribbean Sustainable Energy
Roadmap and Strategy (CSERMS) was approved
and is intended to guide, encourage and expedite
implementation of the sustainable energy aspects
of the CARICOM Energy Policy, with initial regional
level targets for renewable energy contribution tototal electricity generation in CARICOM of 20% in
2017, 28% by 2022 and 47% by 2027. At present,
there is around 490 MW of installed renewable
capacity (mainly hydropower) within CARICOM;
this accounts less than 10% of power generation.
Estimates suggest that there is around 4,300 MW
of proven, commercially developable renewable
sources (geothermal, hydro, solar, wind, waste
and biomass) within the region, even without
consideration to emerging options such as
ocean and wave technology, or generation offset
applications such as solar water heating and solar
cooling. Given that cost-effective, renewable
energy sources can reduce energy costs while,
at the same time, increasing self-sufciency,
economic growth, and climate resilience, there is
need for the region to accelerate the transition to
new energy systems that favour sustainable and
clean energy production, which simultaneously
provides legal certainty for investors and improvedpredictability in price and supply for users.
It was on this basis that the CCREEE was designed
to squarely address what may be referred to as an
“implementation gap” within the regional energy
system, with the principal objective of assisting
Member States in their navigation of what can
be described as a competitive, yet lucrative RE
and EE investment climate and support a modern
energy landscape and sustainable development
within the region.
The CCREEE is intended to function as an
implementation hub for the CARICOM Energy
Policy, roadmap and strategy, thereby enhancing
the environment for sustainable energy
investments and markets in the Region and,
when established, would improve the quantity
and quality of programmes and projects in
sustainable energy. The expectation is that the
CCREEE can result in transformative benets
and a coordination of the vastly assorted energysystems among CARICOM members will be
enhanced by the presence of the Centre. The
ThirtyNineth Meeting of the COTED [November
2014], the FiftyFourth Special Meeting of the
COTED on Energy and the FiftyFifth Joint Special
Meeting of the COTED on Energy and Environment
[February 2015] endorsed the establishment of
the CCREEE. The establishment of the CCREEE
was recommended to the ThirtySixth Conference
of the Heads of Governments by the ThirtySixth
Community Council of Ministers [June 2015] and
was considered and approved [July 2015]. So
far, the process of establishment engaged all
Member States, as well as regional institutions
and development partners.
The Energy Unit of the CARICOM Secretariat,
through the Energy Programme, will maintain
responsibility for designing and managing
the programmatic approach to energy sector
developments, thereby orienting the course for
sustainable energy development, within the
region. It is the CCREEE, however which will
generate and support the programmes and
activities that will translate policies and strategies
into action. The CCREEE, which is being designed
as a repository for technical capacity in strategic
areas of the regions energy sectors, the Centre
represents an innovative fusion of regional and
international efforts and capabilities. Its design
allows for the leveraging of a network of intra
and extra regional partnerships that are intended
to support its growth and technical capacity in
strategic areas of the regional energy sector.
By linking into the “established global network
of regional centres”, CCREEE is expected toengage actively in, and strengthen, cooperation
on RE and EE development within SIDS.
The Austrian Government through the Austrian
Development Agency (ADA), the German
Government through GIZ and the German
Ministry of Development (BMZ), UNIDO, SIDS
DOCK and the Clinton Climate Initiative have
already committed resources in excess of 3
million Euros (US $3.3 million) – in cash and kind
– to support the
First Operational Phase of the Centre. And other
development partners – including the European
Union, the Governments of Germany, Mexico,
Spain, Sweden and the United States, the World
Bank and IDB – have indicated a willingness to
also support the operations of the Centre upon its
establishment. When established, the CCREEE
Secretariat will consistently engage in resource
mobilisation for the resources required for workin further operational phases. This effort will
also be supported by the three core partners,
viz. CARICOM Secretariat, the SIDS DOCK and
UNIDO. Although the CCREEE is modelled on,
and will join, an established global network of
UNIDO supported regional Centres, the realities
of the nancial situation in CARICOM countries
are taken into account in that the Cent
strategic, nancial and operating plan will
require any resource commitments by Mem
States. This approach ensures the nan
sustainability of the Centre and sets it apart f
the traditional regional institutions. The Ce
will provide clear benets to Member Sta
including a displacement of the nancial bur
of high upfront RE and EE project costs, throu
inter alia, transformation of innovative proconcepts and studies into business plans, capa
of attracting nancing from emerging global
regional facilities, which would – by lowe
transaction costs – increase the number of via
projects available for implementation within
region. Critically, the Centre will demonst
Regional ownership and is expected to beco
a repository of regional knowledge and capa
The Caribbean Centre for Renewable Ene
and Energy Efciency (CCREEE) or “the Cen
enters the regional energy stage during the b
of times, where the conuence of low oil pr
plus the plummeting costs of renewable ene
technologies provide a window of opportunity
enabling investments, and the worst of tim
in which the region faces signicant econo
challenges. If given the chance, the Centre
become a critical tool for assis ting Member Sta
in their navigation of the competitive, yet lucra
global RE and EE investment climate.
By leveraging some of the Centre’s key streng
attainment of regional and national targets
goals will become more likely.
The CCREEE is intended to function as animplementation hub for the CARICOM EnergyPolicy, roadmap and strategy...
Contributor: Fern Gray, M.A. Law &
Diplomacy: Int’l Energy Policy
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41 4CARIBBEAN ENERGY QUARTERLY January - June 2015CARIBBEAN ENERGY QUARTERLY January - June 2015
Though some Member States are making good progress in the adoption of energy efciency
applications and renewable energy technologies, there is a need to ensure that decisions
and planning are supported by fact based scenarios and information, derived from data of an
appropriate quality and quantity. To support the planning and coordination mechanisms in the
Region, the CARICOM Secretariat Energy Programme is partnering with OLADE, the World
Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale
Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), as well as the Department of Energy and the State Department of the
United States (US), to implement –
+ CARICOM Energy Portal, is a Knowledge Management Portal which isintended to function as: (i) a “rst stop shop” for information on the regionalenergy sector; and (ii) a collaboration platform for information sharingand knowledge exchange among general stakeholder groups. The Portalwill include the Caribbean Renewable Energy and Energy Efciency Matrix(CREEEM), which is intended to serve as a tool and resource for trackingand monitoring the activities of multiple st akeholder groups operating withinthe CARICOM energy sector;
+ Regional Energy Statistics and Information Management (RESIM) Project,which is intended to provide - (i) standardised methodology and training forenergy data collection and energy statistics management; and (ii) energyinformation and knowledge management tools, which will include theRegional Energy Information System (SIER) of the Latin American EnergyOrganisation (OLADE). The expectation is to that all Member States will haverealtime access to functional, modern energy databases, which will “rollup”into a Regional database and provide energy planning and decision supportto Member States and regional institutions; and
+ CSERMS Platform, which is being implemented as a high level coordination,planning and knowledge sharing mechanism for developing and designingactivities and programmes to support the implementation of CSERMS. ThePlatform will be supported by a number of Working Groups and will bemanaged through the CARICOM Secretariat.
PROGRAMME BRIEFS
Increased planning and implementation capacity in Member Statesand strengthened regional coordination capabilities:1
The CARICOM region wastes more than half the available energy in the imported fuels, w
results in relatively high energy consumption per unit of GDP. The Energy Programme
prioritized activities toward the systematic improvement of energy intensity and is focusing
the electricity sector, to include –
There are a number of projects and activities that are seeking to integrate cost effective RE
options into CARICOM power generation and grid systems -
+ Regional Collaboration on Efcient Energy use in Buildings (RCEwhich targets energy use in the public and commercial buildings sector. collaboration is a coordinated effort among multiple projects and partnand includes a mix of policy and demonstration interventions. In teof regulations, an Energy Efciency Building Code (EEBC) for public commercial buildings, Energy Performance Standards for Public Buildinand Minimum Energy Performance Standards for Refrigerators and FreezAir Conditioning Systems and Lighting Devices (CFL and LED) are bedeveloped through partnership, which includes a number of developm
partners and the CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Qua(CROSQ). The CARICOM Building Energy Efciency Project (CARICOM BEis being implemented under this partnership and is intended to transformMain Building of the CARICOM Secretariat into a high performance buildwith respect to energy use.
+ Integrated Renewable Energy Atlas, an activity that will involve quantication and mapping of RE resources within CARICOM. This will invothe integration of existing RE assessments, as well as new assessmewhere necessary, into a single regional atlas and is expec ted to provide cguidance on the available and commercially developable RE options for region. The outcome of this is t hat there will be reduction in the uncert ainand costs for RE development within Member States, which will stimubetter planning and increased investments.
+ Programme for Integration of Renewable Energy (PIRE),A regional progfor Grid Integration of Variable Renewables, which is being developedprovide understanding of the characteristics of energy systems and markthat hinder or enable the reliable, economic integration of large sharesvariable renewable, viz. wind and solar, in Member States. The knowlegenerated will not only inform and further enhance Regional energy plannbut also identify what is possible and realistic under the CSERMS targetsrenewable power generation, i.e. 20 per cent in 2017, 28 per cent by 2and 47 per cent by 2027.
Increased efciency in energy production, transmission and use
Increasing the share of cost effective renewable energy within thregional energy systems:
2
3
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January - June 2015
The CCREEE is intended to function as an implementation hub for the CARICOM Energy Policy,
roadmap and strategy, thereby enhancing the environment for sustainable energy investments
and markets in the Region and, when established, would improve the quantity and quality of
programmes and projects in sustainable energy. The expectation is that the CCREEE can result
in transformative benets and a coordination of the vastly assorted energy systems among
CARICOM members will be enhanced by the presence of the Centre. The establishment of the
CCREEE has been endorsed in February,2015 by the Thirty Ninth Meeting of the Council for
Trade and Economic Development (COTED) in November 2014, the Fifty -Fourth Special Meeting
of the COTED on Energy and the Fifty-Fifth Joint Special Meeting of the COTED on Energy and
Environment and it was also reviewed by the Thirty-Sixth Community Council of Ministers in June
2015 and recommended for consideration by the Thirty-Sixth Meeting of the Conference of the
Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in July 2015. The Conference of
Heads on Saturday, 4 July 2015 approved the establishment of the CCREEE and the selection
of Barbados as the Host Country for the CCREEE Secretariat. The establishment of the Centre
serves as a best practice in inclusive engagement as so far, the process of establishment engaged
all Member States, as well as major regional actors, since the initial regional discussion, which
took the form of a Technical Validation Workshop in Dominica during July 2014.
Increasing the share of cost effective renewable energy within the
regional energy systems:4