caricom energy quarterly jan-june 2015

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CARICOM ENERGY QUARTERLY

January–June

Powered by theCARICOM Secretariat

30 JUNE 2015 Volume 1, Issue 1–2



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



3 4CARIBBEAN ENERGY QUARTERLY January - June 2015CARIBBEAN ENERGY QUARTERLY January - June 2015

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.




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,

https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/01/26/caribbean-energy-security-summit-joint-statement

https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/01/26/caribbean-energy-security-summit-joint-statement




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




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




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




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




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




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.




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




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




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.




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?




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.




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




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.




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

http://www.caricomenergy.org/

http://www.caricomenergy.org/




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




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




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


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/caricom-energy-quarterly-jan-june-2015 23/2443 CARIBBEAN ENERGY QUARTERLY

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



Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat

Phone: 592 222-0001 (Ext 3522)Fax: 592 222-0224

Turkeyen, P.O. Box 10827Greater Georgetown, GUYANA

caricom energy quarterly jan-june 2015

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