Climate Action 2010-2011
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Policy and Governance<br />
Other current programmes and initiatives supporting<br />
RETs include:<br />
Caribbean Renewable Energy Development<br />
Programme (CREDP) which is an initiative of the<br />
Energy Ministers of the Caribbean Community, aimed at<br />
reducing barriers to the increased use of renewable energy<br />
thus reducing the dependency on fossil fuels.<br />
Caribbean Information Platform of Renewable Energy<br />
(CIPORE) which was established to provide an online<br />
presence for regional energy Ministries in order to<br />
disseminate and share information on renewable energy.<br />
Caribbean Energy Information System (CEIS).<br />
CARICOM governments adopted a Regional Energy<br />
<strong>Action</strong> Plan out of which CEIS was born with a<br />
mandate to coordinate and augment existing collections<br />
of energy information.<br />
Individual island initiatives<br />
Barbados<br />
Barbados is a world leader in Solar Water Heating<br />
(SWH) technology and market penetration. With a<br />
population of just under 280,000 people and 85,000<br />
households, approximately 50,000 Solar Water Heaters<br />
are in use on the island thus reducing oil imports by<br />
185,000 barrels per year. The island’s oldest and largest<br />
SWH company, Solar Dynamics, has been in operation<br />
since 1974 when the industry was first developed. The<br />
Central Bank of Barbados calculates that between 1974<br />
and 2009, Barbados saved almost US$410 million in<br />
reduced fossil fuel imports.<br />
The policy imperative of<br />
the Government of Nevis is to<br />
become the first island in the<br />
Caribbean to generate electricity<br />
entirely from renewables.<br />
The successful Barbados industry uses proprietary<br />
technology, creates jobs, earns foreign exchange and is a<br />
model of best practice. Barbadian manufacturers export<br />
to other islands and 60 per cent of the solar water heaters<br />
used in the Caribbean are either built in Barbados or use<br />
Barbadian technology disseminated via concessions. In<br />
the 1970s, the government encouraged the growth of this<br />
fledgling technology by cutting import duty on all inputs<br />
for solar water heater manufacturers so as to enhance<br />
their competitiveness. At the same time, purchasers were<br />
given a full tax rebate off the purchase price of a solar<br />
water heater.<br />
Efforts to use wind power are now underway. In<br />
addition, the 2007 national policy for Independent Power<br />
Producers (IPPs) aims to boost the level of renewable<br />
energy feeding into the national grid. Consideration is<br />
also being given to the low-ethanol fuel blend, E10.<br />
A Barbados solar water heater system – manufacturer, Solar Dynamics.<br />
Belize<br />
Belize is using some degree of solar, wind, hydropower<br />
and also bagasse, a biomass derived from sugarcane<br />
and sorghum stalks. The hydropower and bagasse are<br />
fed into the national grid. Under the Sustainable<br />
Energy Partnership of the Americas (SEPA), a 2009<br />
feasibility study was conducted on the potential of the<br />
ethanol market.<br />
Dutch Caribbean<br />
The Dutch Caribbean islands of Aruba, Bonaire,<br />
Curacao and Suriname already use wind power to<br />
generate electricity. Bonaire aims to be fully powered by<br />
renewables by 2015.<br />
Dominica, Grenada and Nevis<br />
Dominica, Grenada and Nevis have decided on<br />
geothermal energy with Nevis the most advanced of the<br />
three. The Government of Nevis signed a contract in<br />
partnership with a private energy company to execute all<br />
the necessary preparatory work. The Nevis Geothermal<br />
Resources and Development Ordinance was passed in<br />
2008 and will be key in regulating the development of<br />
the island’s geothermal energy infrastructure. The policy<br />
imperative of the Government of Nevis is to become<br />
the first island in the Caribbean to generate electricity<br />
entirely from renewables.<br />
In addition to its geothermal potential, Nevis installed<br />
and commissioned eight wind turbines which began<br />
feeding energy into the grid in July <strong>2010</strong>. There are also<br />
plans for hydropower generation.<br />
Guyana<br />
With its rich natural resources, abundant water and a<br />
land mass of 215,000km 2 , the potential for renewable<br />
energy in Guyana is immense. The potential for<br />
hydroelectricity is particularly attractive and was identified<br />
in the 2001-<strong>2010</strong> National Development Strategy as a<br />
critical tool for meeting the country’s long-term power<br />
needs. In 2007 the total installed capacity in Guyana<br />
stood at 226 megawatts (MW) while hydroelectric<br />
potential was estimated at 7,000MW; over 30 times the<br />
required amount. In 2006, the Guyana Sugar Corporation<br />
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