Snapshots of

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Renewable Energy in the Caribbean
Powerful Encounter
Building Capacity
of the CARICOM Secretariat/Energy Unit to Engage
the Energy and Renewable Energy
Constituency An Interactive Approach
to Promotion and Participation

• Snapshots of
• Jamaica, Suriname, Barbados, Dominica

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CONTEXT

• Caribbean Renewable Energy Development Programme
  (CREDP)
• 2004-2008/9
• Global Environmental Facility (GEF) financed.
• UNDP implemented.
• Govt of Germany (GTZ) supported.
• CARICOM Secretariat executed.

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Multi-country visits by the CARICOM Secretariat
Purpose

• Advocate with Ministers of Energy to confirm
  their commitment to Renewable Energy.
• Seek feedback on CREDP and direction for CARICOM
  Secretariats new Energy Unit to build its
  capacity to serve the Energy sector

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CREDP Participating countries
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JAMAICA
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Hon. Clive Mullins, Minister of Energy, Jamaica

• Among the initiatives we have taken in Jamaica is
  the wind farm, producing 23 megawatts. We plan
  to install 9 new turbines an additional 18
  megawatts

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Latest on development and outreach of public
awareness in Renewable Energy uses

• We have been exporting Ethanol to the United
  States for a number of years.
• Now, weve started to blend 10 Ethanol in our
  local gasoline. The demand is tremendous.

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What has kept Jamaica steadfast on this path when
so many other countries from various parts of the
world vacillate depending on the world oil
prices?

• The experience of Brazil. During the first oil
  crisis Brazil took the decision to go into
  Ethanol production. At one point the sugar
  production was more profitable than ethanol but
  they stayed the course.

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Ethanol Gasoline Mix Public Acclaim for E-10

• We anticipated using 3000 barrels per day
  available from some 100 stations. Now,
  consumption is approaching 8000 per day,
  outstripping demand for other petroleum products
  including premium gasoline.

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Public Awareness of Renewable Energy

• The consuming public in Jamaica is benefiting
  directly from Renewable Energy. It has allowed
  policy to leap from the page to affect the pocket
  and the consumption patterns of our people.

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Jamaica has used Hydropower for over 60 years
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What does energy security mean to Jamaica?

• We see energy as independence and
  diversification.
• Ideally it means
• Being able to grow as a nation not stymied by
  the volatility of oil prices.
• Avoiding a situation where geopolitical issues
  routinely affect our oil supply, and
  consequently our economy.

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SURINAME
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High energy costs challenge Caribbean countries.
Surinames Minister of Natural Resources Prof.
Gregory Rusland is spearheading a 15-year vision
for energy to 2023.

• To meet the demands of energy over the next 15
  years we will have to go from over 150-170
  megawatts at the moment to 325 megawatts in the
  year 2023

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THE CONSULTATIVE APPROACH PUBLIC/PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIPS

• The Ministry of Natural Resources invited all the
  management of major companies, institutions, and
  energy companies along with some key experts for
  three days in June 2008, to discuss the
  situation and make plans for the next 15 years.

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A unique arrangement Industry as part of a
national think-tank for energy and development.

• The Minister of Natural Resources mobilized
  various energy institutions like the State Energy
  Company of Suriname, and the power company, to
  support the ministrys 15-year vision.

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A unique arrangement Industry as part of a
national think-tank for energy and development.

• In bio-energy we involved Statsolie the state oil
  company because it has the manpower, the human
  resources, the finances, and the structure to set
  up projects quickly, so we made use of people who
  were much better paid than government could.
• This system is still working.

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Hydro-power facility at Brokopondo
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(No Transcript)
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SURINAME ENERGY POLICY

• The policy statement of the Government of
  Suriname makes it clear that energy availability
  should never hinder our development.

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Priorities

• We examined many possibilities including nuclear
  energy, which we rejected for the moment.
• We feel that water is the one major source which
  must be utilized to the fullest.

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A QUEST FOR POSSIBILITIES

• Another possibility in West Suriname is provision
  of another 400 megawatts of energy to power
  alumina smelters. Once again, from a Renewable
  Energy standpoint hydro energy would be the
  future for Suriname.

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Minister Rusland is also President of the Anton
de Kom national University of Suriname

• We are proud that the majority of Human Resources
  managing our energy sector are graduates from the
  University of Suriname the Faculty of
  Technology, Department of Electrical Energy, and
  the Engineering Department.

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A Briefing at Anton de Kom University for
CARICOM/UNDP
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Documentation of the public/private sector
consultation process A possible template

• IDB has been on-board since 2007 because I wanted
  an update of the energy situation and a clear
  vision for the next 15 years.
• It financed a study with guidelines from my
  ministry. These are reflected in documents
  currently available.

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Energy and Development A Peoples Perspective

• Once you provide the energy to the population you
  will directly see development. If people can
  count on the availability of energy, they will
  readily build houses, create industries.

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Role of the CARICOM Secretariat. What should we
be doing in the area of Energy and Renewable
Energy?

• CARICOM Secretariat should seek out the major
  expertise within the Region and not try to
  reinvent the wheel, but try to make use of the
  expertise that exists in, for example, Suriname,
  Trinidad and other areas of the region

Prof. Gregory RuslandMinister of Natural
ResourcesSuriname
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BARBADOS
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Research on Sugar Cane began in Barbados in the
1800s
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Research Director, Dr. Anthony Kennedy recalls

• In 2003 sugarcane varieties that could fit
  specific requirements were found at the West
  Indies Central Sugar Cane Breeding Station where
  very-high fibre sugarcane varieties are
  maintained as germplasm for routine breeding
  purposes.

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Dr. Anthony Kennedy, Director of the West Indies
Central Sugar Cane Breeding Station (CBS)
receives the UNDP/ CARICOM Team
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Director, Dr. Anthony Kennedy recalls

• The CBS, one of the two oldest breeding stations
  in the world, has been breeding sugarcane
  varieties in Barbados since 1888.
• During the last 40 years a genetic
  base-broadening programme incorporates genes from
  the wild relatives of sugarcane to improve cane
  yield ratooning

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Teaching tools
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Barbados, Dr. Anthony Kennedy

• Some vigorous hybrid seedlings with very high
  fibre, low sugar content, and good ratooning
  characteristics were cloned and found to have
  near ideal characteristics as Fuel Canes for
  biomass production. Testing is now underway.

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The outdoor laboratory

• Dr. Anthony Kennedy opined that its a pity St.
  Kitts and Nevis closed down its sugar industry as
  this could have been used to produced energy.

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A Public Education Facility William Hinds,
Ministry of Energy and the Environment, Barbados
and Joseph Williams, Programme Manager, Energy,
CARICOM Secretariat
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DOMINICA
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Hon. Charles Savarin, Minister of Energy, Dominica

• There was a time when perhaps over 50 of
  Dominicas energy consumption came from Hydro.
  However, as the demand for electricity grew, the
  generating capacity for hydro remain static.

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Political Will and Commitment Hon. Charles
Savarin, Minister of Energy

• We took a decision to encourage persons to go
  into renewables and conserve on electricity
  consumption.
• We reduced the excise tax on fuel.
• We exempted tax on the fuel imported for the
  generation of electricity.
• We removed import duties on Renewable
  Energy-related items, e.g. energy saving bulbs,
  electrical appliances, solar water heaters.

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Critical Renewable Sources

• We have geothermal resources in Soufriere
  district.
• We are satisfied that there are significant
  geothermal resources in the North of the island
  also.

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Regional Commercial Options

• If Dominica generates in excess of 120 megawatts
  we have the potential of selling more than 50
  megawatts to Martinique and Guadeloupe and
  depending on the potential to going further North
  and South

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SUMMARY

• Caribbean Community Heads of Government are
  committed to exploitation of Renewable Energy
  sources as an economic strategy and a hedge
  against Climate Change and Global Warming.

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Layout and Graphics SEROME CHANDISINGH
A PRODUCTION OF THE PUBLIC INFORMATION
UNIT CARICOM SECRETARIAT
Photos and Text CARLTON JAMES