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“Sustainable Energy for All is maybe the only thing that can save the younger generation.”ByMakingIton17June,2013

AlbertBinger,EnergyScienceAdvisorattheCaribbeanCommunityClimateChangeCentreexplainshowsmallislanddevelopingstates(SIDS),whichareespeciallyendangeredbyclimatechange,createfundingsourcesfortheiradaptation.Binger,whoisamemberoftheUNSecretary-General’sHigh-LevelGrouponSustainableEnergyforAll,alsooutlinesthepromisingrenewableenergysourcesfortheSIDS.TheinterviewbyMiraKapfingertookplaceduringtheViennaEnergyForum(VEF),co-organizedbytheUNIndustrialDevelopmentOrganizationinAustriainMay2013.

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YouparticipatedinthefirstViennaEnergyForum(VEF)back2009.Lookingbackatthatevent,whatdiditcontributetoyourworkwithintheCaribbeanCommunityClimateChangeCentre?

WhenwecametothefirstVEFin2009,wecametotestideas.Couldpeoplebeconvincedthatforcertaincountriesthebestwaytosupportadaptation(toclimatechange)wasthroughmitigation?IntheclassicUNsystemway,theyseparatedadaptationfrommitigation.AdaptationwasfordevelopingcountriesandmitigationwasforOECDcountries.Weislandstateshaveneverreallyfittedintoeitherofthoseclassifications.Maybebecausewearesosmall,peopledon’ttakeusseriously.Theythinkwearetoosmalltolead.So,wewantedtoseewhatwasgoingtobethereactiontoourideas.Wewantedtoseewheretherewerepotentialpartners.Forus,itwasverysuccessfulbecausewedidgetpositiveresponsefromanumberofcountries.Wetooksomeofthoseideasandweworkedonthem.

BythetimewearrivedattheCopenhagenClimateChangeConferenceinDecember2009(COP15),wewerehopefulthatthismeetingwouldbetransformational.WehopedthattheworkdonebyvariouscolleaguesinthepreparatorymeetingsforCOP15wouldleadtoadifferentoutcomethantheCOPsbefore,butitdidn’t.

Therewerejusttoomanyvestedinterests:vestedinterestfromthecoal-producingandcoal-usingcountries,vestedinterestsfromthepetroleum-producingcountriesandvestedinterestsfromcountrieswhofeltthattheywouldbelosingcompetitiveadvantage.So,nobodywantedtoleadandnothinghappened.ThatgaveusthenachancetoputsomeoftheideasthatwehaddiscussedatthefirstVEFtogethertostarttheSIDSDOCK(aninitiativeamongmembercountriesoftheAllianceofSmallIslandStates(AOSIS)toprovidetheSIDSwithacollectiveinstitutionalmechanismtoassistthemtransformtheirnationalenergysectorsintoacatalystforsustainableeconomicdevelopmentandhelpgeneratefinancialresourcestoaddressadaptationtoclimatechange).

TheThirdVEF,takingplacenow,isaboutdevelopingmorepartnerships,lookingatthingslikehowtheSustainableEnergyforAllInitiative(SE4All)canhelpusandwhatwecancontributetoit.Eventhoughwearetryingtoreallyandtrulyhelpourselves,thatwillnottakeusfariftheemissionscontinue.Evenifwetotallytransformedourenergysectorandgo100%renewable,evenifwedodisplacewhatweestimatetobeabout190to200millionbarrelsofoiloutofoursystem,wecouldn’tfundouradaptation.Wewouldsavealotofmoney,maybeUS$20-25bnayear,whichwouldbemuchmorethanwecouldeverhopetonegotiatefor.Butitwouldn’tbesufficientforthoseofuswhocanadapt.Someofuswillnotbeabletoadaptatall.Onereasonforthatisgeography,theotherisgeology.Forexample,Tuvaluissimplytoolow-lyingandtheisland’sgeologyishoneycomblimestone.Thismeanstheislandwillactuallyfloatfromtheinsideout,ratherthanfromtheoutsideover.Therearequiteafewislandslikethat.Also,theMaldiveswilldisappear,becauseitisonlythreemetresabovesealevelatitshighestpoints,and80%ofthelandarealiesthanonemetreabovesealevel.

“We sometimes lose sight of the fact that the numbers we are talking about are only averages. We knowthat we are going to be on the high sides of the averages and we know that we are going to lose ourcountries.”

Withthe400ppm(annualaverageofpartspermillionofcarbondioxideintheatmosphere)thatwearecurrentlyfacing,theoveralltemperatureincreaseis,ofcourse,anaverage.Wesometimeslosesightofthefactthatthenumberswearetalkingaboutareonlyaverages.Weknowthatwearegoingtobeonthehighsidesoftheaveragesandweknowthatwearegoingtolosesomeofourcountries.Andfortherestofus,ourcountrieswillbecomesmallerbecausethecoastalareaswillgounderwater.Wewilllosealotofourinfrastructure!Butwehaveafightingchance.TheSE4Allinitiativeistheonlyhope,eventhoughitisaUNinitiativeandthesedaysIdon’thavemanyexpectationsabouttheUNorganizations.Butevenifweareabletochangeourenergysystems,westillhavetogetthegreenhousegasemissionsstabilized.Infact,wewanttoseethedecarbonizationoftheatmosphere.AndwethinkSE4All,asitisnow,ismaybe–asbadasitsounds–theonlyrealthingthatmightsavetheyoungergeneration.Whichisnotapromisingoutlookbutitistheonlyone.Wewanttoseehowbestwecansupportittomakeitsuccessfulsothatitcandevelopmomentumtotransformtheenergysector.But,ofcourse,allofthatisverypolitical,morethatitisscientific.ThisisthereasonwhyIalwaysgoafterthepoliticians.

Youtalkedaboutmitigationandadaptation,andconcerningthefinancingofthosemeasures,duringtoday’spaneldiscussionyouandChristophFreifromtheWorldEnergyCouncil,agreedthatagoodideaisnotsufficienttogetfinancing.So,theSIDSstartedtheSIDSDOCKinitiativeinordertobeabletoenterthecarbonmarkets.Howsatisfiedareyouwithyourresultssofar?

Wehavenowbeeninoperationforabout18months.Ourfirstaimwastobegintodevelopourprojectpipeline.Nowwehavepassedhalfabillion,onthewaytotwobilliondollarsinprojects.Ourestimationisthatwewouldneed10to20billiondollars,dependingonthetechnologychoicesthatwemake.Wearetryingtofigureoutthebestcombination.Wedevelopedaso-calledNationalFinancingMechanism,whichall31membercountrieswillhopefullysignontoshortly.Thiswillallowustogointotheglobalmarkets,sociallycorrectinvestmentandsoon.Wecantapthismoneyandthenmoveittothenationallevelswhereitcanbeusedtocreaterevolvingfunds,tofunddevelopmentprojects,todocapacitybuildingandsoforth.Theavoidedoilimportswillrepaythatfund.Oncewefinishthepay-back,wecankeepthemoneytodoadaptationandpovertyalleviationandsoon.

Asfarascarbontradingisconcerned,wearebeginningtoputinplacethemechanismtocalculatethecarbonsavingfromtheprojectsandthekindsofformalprocedures

tocertifytheemissions.Further,wehavehadinitialdiscussionswithNorwayaboutanagreementthatwouldallowustosellacoupleofmilliontonnesayeartothem.Thiswouldgenerateincomeforusaspartoftheirclimateinitiatives.Ofcourse,therearesomeissuesthatwehavetoresolvewithintheframeworkconventionsuchashowtodealwiththeseallocatedunitsofpollution,etc.,butweareprettyconfidentthatifwecannotgetitwithintheUNFCCC(UnitedNationsFrameworkConventiononClimateChange)framework,wecanactuallygetitwithinvoluntarycarbonmarketsorpurchases.CompanieslikeNikeandothersactuallydopurchasecarbonandtheypurchaseitatbetterprices.So,wethinkthatmaybewecouldmakeanicecasetothemassmallislandpeopleswhoareontheedgeofsurvival.

Youmentioneddifferenttechnologiesthatareavailable.Itisprobablyverydifficulttogiveageneralizedviewofallthediverseislandnations,butstillI’dliketoaskyoutosumupthemostpromisingtechnologiesinyourviewandsaywhicharemostlikelytogeneraterevenuessoon.

WetakethepositionthatintheSIDSwehavethelargestarrayofrenewableenergysources.Geothermal,solarthermal,oceanthermal,hydro,wind,solar–wehaveit.Havingtheresourcesisnotanissueforus.Inthiscase,wearemoreabundantinrichesthananything,butwealsohavehighlyinefficientenergyuse.Therefore,ourfirsthigh-leveltargettechnologiesareenergy-efficienttechnologies,lightingandcooling,inparticular.Thatiswhereweusealotofourelectricity.Inlighting,wearelookingatLEDsasaverypromisingtechnology,andinsomeotherwaysmaybealsocompactfluorescencehasaroletoplay.Wearevery,veryexcitedaboutsolarthermalcooling.HereinAustria,youhaveacompanycalledSOLID.Inmycountry,Jamaica,ithasbuilttheonlysolarthermalcoolingbuildingontheentireisland.Wethinkthatthistechnologychangesalotofthingsforus,becauseitisatmax,whenthedemandisatmax.Thenwedon’thavetoworryaboutallthatpeakelectricity,whichusuallygivesusalotoftrouble.Ifwecanfindtechnologiesthattakeoffthepeak,thenwecanbase-loadaloteasier.So,thosesolarthermaltechnologiesforheatingandcoolingarepriorityforus.Steppingdownthescaletoourbase-load,wearelookingatgeothermal.Wehaveabout8or10countriesthathavegeothermalresources.

“If we can figure out how to live with the oceans and to manage the resources that we have, then wehave a good chance. Not only does it position us to meet our energy needs in a sustainable way but itallows us to set up new industries.”

Butthethingthatismostexcitingtousistheoceanthermaltechnology(OTEC).Becauseallofushavehotoceans!Anditisveryfunnythathowwedealwiththeoceansisgoingtodeterminethewaywesurvive.Ifwecanfigureouthowtolivewiththeoceansandtomanagetheresourcesthatwehave,thenwehaveagoodchance.Notonlydoesitpositionustomeetourenergyneedsinasustainableway–aslongasthereisawarmocean,wewillbefineandIthinkthewarmoceanwillbethereaslongasthesunisthere–butitallowsustosetupnewindustries.Whichiswhatwereallyneedbecauseofoursmallsize,nobodywantstocomeandinvestinlittleislandswith20,000inhabitants.Thereisnomarket,hightransportcost,highcommunicationcost–toomuchrisk.Thetransactioncostdoesn’tmakeusattractive.ButwebelievethatwithOTECwecancreateourownnewsustainableeconomy,whichcontributestoourislands.Aswesay,“Islandenergyforislandlife.”

AlbertBinger(secondfromtheleft)takingpartinthepaneldiscussiononsustainableenergyaccessattheThirdViennaEnergyForum,May2013.Photo:UNIDO.

Oceanthermalenergyconversionisprobablytheoldestofrenewabletechnologies.Ofcourse,peoplealsohadwindmillslongago.In1881,Ibelieve,aFrenchscientistbythenameofJacquesArsened’Arsonvalpublishedthefirstpaperonoceanthermalenergyconversion.Interestinglyitstartedinthedecadeofthe1880swheretheindustrialrevolutionstartedwiththefirstthermalplant.SoOTECisnotarocket-sciencetechnology.Whenyoulookatit,itisareallysimpletechnology,morelikerefrigerationthananythingelse.Inyourairconditionunityouuseelectricity,createcoldanddischargeheat.OTECjustreversesthatcycle.TheOTECplantisapipingsystemfromtheoceanwithawarm-waterpipe,acold-waterpipeandareturningpipe.Ittakesthewarmpartoftheoceantovaporizetheammonia,orwhateveritisfromliquidtogas,whichincreasesitsvolumetremendouslybecauseofthetransitionintoagaseousstate.So,ithastheabilitytowork.Itrunsaturbine,whichinturnrunsageneratorandwehaveelectricity.Theexhaustfromtheturbineisthencooledinthedepthsoftheoceanatabout1,000metres,withwatertemperaturesaround4to6degreesCelsius,whichcondensebacktheammoniaandclosethecycle.Itchangesnothingintheenvironment,exceptfromremovingheatfromtheocean,whichissomethingwereallywanttogetridofanyway.

ThethingwelikeaboutOTECisthatithasanumberofotheroptionsandrenewableenergysources.One,itprovidesyouwithdesalinatedwater.Asyouaredealingwithwarmsurfacewaterwithlotsofdissolvedgases,youneedtoremovethembecausetheymakeheatexchangeinefficient.Forthatyouusethesametechnologyastoconcentrateorangejuice:flashevaporation–puttingitundervacuum.Whenyouputthingsundervacuum,theyboilatamuchlowertemperature.Soyoupullofftheoxygen,nitrogenandalotofwatervapour.Then,withsomeofthecoldwater,youcancondensethewatervapourandgetdesalinatedwater.OTECisthecheapestmethodofdesalination.Desalination,usuallybymembraneseparation,isveryenergy-intensive.OnlyOTECgivesusfreshwaterasaproduct.Formanyislands,freshwaterisoneofthebiggestproblems.Mostofus,particularlyPacificislands,dependonaverythinlensoffreshwaterandtwothingsarehappeningtothatlens.One,sealevelisrising,sothehydraulicheadischangingandsaltisintruding.Second,rainfallisnotasabundantasitusedtobeandthereforethelensisunderpressure.Weneedtoaugmentthewater.Third,thecoldwaterthatwebringupisnutrient-rich.So,wecanproducealotoffish.Becausetheoceantemperatureisgettingwarmer,fisharemovingawayfromtheshore,whichisaproblembecauseitistheretheretheyusuallybreedandourlittlecanoescannotgothatfarouttocatchthefish.Thereforefisherfolkarehavingaterribletimeinmostislandeconomies.WithOTEC,wecandoalotofmaricultureandproduceveryexpensivethingslikeabalone(largeedibleseasnails),lobstersandoysters,becausewehavethewaterattherighttemperaturecontinuously.Therealotsofindustriesthatcanusethiscoldwater.

Ourthirdtechnologygoesbacktoourcollectivesurvival:biomass.Someofusaretoosmalltobemajorproducersofbiomass,butsomeofusarebig,withenoughlandtoproducelotsofbiomass.Weusedtoproducesugarcane,bananasandcoconutforexport.Nowthereisasecondgenerationofbiomasstechnologies:thermaltechnologies,whichconvertbiomassintoliquidfuels.Wetargetthreestreams,heavyfueloil,dieselforpowergenerationanddieselfortransport.Weareworkingonamodelwherethebigislandsproducetherawmaterial,whichissenttoourlittleislands,wheretheydotheconversionforthemselvesandintheprocesstheyco-generatesomeelectricityandendupwiththeirownliquidfuelstoreplacethosethreestreams.

Webelievethiskindofmenuoftechnologies,supplementedwithPVandwindwhereverpossible,basicallycangetustoahighdegreeofenergysecurityandenergyindependence.Wehaveamodelandwewanttogetitdemonstratedsothatatleastwecanembarrassthebigguysandsay,“Wediditwithallthehandicapsthatwehave!Howaboutyou?”

Haveyougotpartnersforthetechnologytransfer?Yousaidthatduetoclimatechangeyouaregoingtolosealotofinfrastructure.Whatisatstake?

WehavehadsomediscussionswiththeJapanesegovernment,whoarethetechnologicalleadersinthosetwoareas.WeactuallyfindourselvesfeelingmoreandmoreaffinityfortheJapanesetechnologies.Maybeitisbecausetheyarefar-flungislandsandtheyhavealotofsimilarconditions.Ofcourse,theyaremuch,muchricherandtheyhavemorecapacitythanwehave.Butintermsofhelpingusfindsolutionsthatareappropriate,welooktothemalotmorethantootherindustrializedcountries.Ofcourse,languageisanissuebutwelikethetechnologiesthattheyhave.andwewanttobeinthatgamebecausewehavetoreplaceourindustries.Oneofthebigindustriesthatwehavetoreplaceistourism.Wewillnothavetourismmuchlonger.Wedidastudylookingatonemetreofsealevelrise.JustfortheCaribbean.Wedidn’twanttodoitforthePacificbecauseitwasgoingtobeterriblenews.So,wediditforsomeislandsoftheCaribbean,Jamaicabeingthebiggestone.ItturnedoutthatwewouldloseaboutaUS$100bnnotintermsofoureconomy,justininfrastructure:beaches,airports,ports,hotels,roads.Itwillallbegonebecauseweareislandsandmostoftheinfrastructureisalongthecoast.JusttoexplaintherelevanceofthatUS$100bn,ourwholeeconomyintheEnglish-speakingCaribbeanamountstoUS$75bnandUS$25bnofthatisfromTrinidadandTobago,whichisanoil-exportingcountry.So,youcanseethatthisamountofdamageisreallysignificantforthesecountries.Weneedtokeepthisinmind.Still,let’snotwavethewhiteflagsyet,wewillfight.Wehavereasonstobescared,butwealsohavereasonstobehopefulthatwecanusesomeofthesetechnologiestomakelifeliveable,atleastuntilSE4Allbringstheemissionsdowntoalevelwherewethinkthattheclimatehasafuture.

Inthepaneldiscussion,youalsotalkedaboutengineeringtrainingandknowledgetransfer.Inthisrespect,doyouthinkUNIDOcouldcontributetotheSIDSDOCKinitiative?

UNIDOisapartoftheUNthatwedon’tseemuchintheCaribbeanatall.Asamatteroffact,wedon’tseeUNIDOmuchonislands.Butwewanttoseenewindustrieslinkedtotheenergysector.Forexample,inbiofuels,wewanttodevelopactivatedcarboncapacitorsandstoragedevices,andthenthereissolarthermalcooling.InthecaseofOTEC,wewanttodevelopcoldwaterindustriesformaricultureanddesalination.Inthoseareas,ifUNIDOhadexpertisewewouldwelcomeit.Moreproductivepartnerswouldbegreat.Wewanttohaveasmanypartnersaswecanbecauseoursituationisvery,verybad.Whatwedon’twantarepartnerswhowillcometotelluswhatweshouldbedoing.Unfortunatelywehavealotexperiencewiththat.Wehavetosay,“Wedidn’taskyoutocometelluswhattodoandhowtodoit.”Wesay,“Wewanttodevelopourprojects.Canyouhelpusdoit?Andifyoucan’thelpus,thanks,butno,thanks.Don’tmakeitanymoredifficultthanitis.”

●AlbertBingerisScienceandPolicyAdvisorattheCaribbeanCommunityClimateChangeCentre.HeismemberoftheTechnicalGroupoftheUNSecretary-General’sHigh-LevelGrouponSustainableEnergyforAllandhasbeenSeniorAdvisorattheAllianceofSmallIslandStates.Bingerisaresearchscientistwithalmost30yearsexperienceindiversescientificareas,includingchemicalengineering,biophysics,agronomy,renewableenergyandclimatechange.From1997-2005,hewasProfessorandDirectorfortheUniversityoftheWestIndiesCentreforEnvironmentandDevelopment.

Furtherreading:GlobalPublicGoodsandPotentialMechanismsforFinancingAvailability

PostedinAllPosts,Extra!|Tagged400ppm,adaptation,AlbertBinger,AllianceofSmallIslandStates,biomass,Caribbean,CaribbeanCommunityClimateChangeCentre,climatechange,COP15,CopenhagenClimateChangeConference,desalination,energy,geothermal,hydro,Jamaica,Japan,LEDs,Maldives,mariculture,MiraKapfinger,mitigation,NationalFinancingMechanism,Nike,Norway,oceanthermal,oceanthermaltechnology,renewables,sealevel,SIDSDOCK,smallislanddevelopingstates,solar,solarthermal,SOLID,SustainableEnergyforAll,Tuvalu,UNIDO,UnitedNations,UnitedNationsFrameworkConventiononClimateChange,ViennaEnergyForum,wind

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