Hundreds of Teachers Receive SBA Support at the CXC Online Teacher Training Workshop
“We want to be able to compete in terms of moving our country in the green technology way and we need to be able to learn how to teach research.” So said Mr. A. Griffith, a science teacher from Barbados and one of the hundreds of educators who took time out of their busy holiday schedules to attend the Online Teacher Training Workshop held by the Caribbean Examinations Council [...]
Securing our Sustainable Energy Future Through Power Sector Resilience Planning
Sustainable energy is crucial to regional development. This has only become clearer as we work to recover from the effects of the ongoing pandemic. A future in which the Caribbean region is no longer reliant on imported fossil fuels, free from the uncertainties of unpredictable oil prices and protected from the environmental impacts of fossil fuel use will be a bright one indeed. While the diversification of our energy [...]
Guyana Leads the Region with IUS Pilot Programme Launch
Guyana is one step further along in its transition towards a green economy with its participation in the Regional Integrated Utility Service (IUS) pilot programme. With technical support from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and CARICOM, Guyana Power and Light Incorporated (GPL) partnered with the Organisation of American States (OAS) and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) to join the programme. The IUS pilot programme [...]
Bringing Resilience Planning to the Forefront with Integrated Resource and Resilience Planning
Energy is at the heart of our daily lives. We rely on a stable and sustainable energy supply to support the majority of our activities, from ensuring our children’s attendance at digital school to meeting deadlines at work, to relaxing at home with our loved ones. Unfortunately, across the Caribbean region, our national energy grids often face pressure from a variety of sources, which can undermine their ability to [...]
The Project Preparation Facility: Getting Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Projects Ready to Shine
The Caribbean region has an abundance of renewable natural resources that can play key roles in helping us follow the path set out in the Caribbean Sustainable Energy Roadmap and Strategy (C-SERMS). From solar to wind power, hydro to geothermal energy and ocean energy to biofuel, there is a wide variety of renewable energy potential across CARICOM. However, most of these resources remain untapped due to a lack of [...]
Everything Energy at Your Fingertips in the CARICOM Energy Knowledge Hub
The journey towards a sustainable, climate-resilient and renewable energy future requires careful planning and sound decision-making resting on a foundation of high-quality data. For the Caribbean region — an area spanning almost three million kilometres and encompassing a wide variety of natural resources, infrastructures and needs — reliable data is particularly essential and has historically been difficult to come by. In recognition of this, the Caribbean Centre for Renewable [...]
A Passion for Policy Makes All the Difference
Policy and regulation development play a foundational role in the kind of meaningful change the Technical Assistance Programme for Sustainable Energy in the Caribbean (TAPSEC) is seeking to support throughout the region. Before the Caribbean can transition to a future in which all citizens have access to sustainable, reliable and resilient energy supplies, we need solid frameworks for how every stakeholder and organisation will operate. In recognition of this [...]
End-to-End Capacity Development at the Core of Sustainable Development Goals
Capacity-building is at the heart of any development initiative. In order to adapt to an ever-changing world, a nation (and a region) must develop and strengthen the skills of its people as well as the processes and resources of its organisations and communities. For this reason, capacity-building is a crucial pillar of TAPSEC’s mission to support the Caribbean region’s journey towards a sustainable future. Leading the way in this [...]
A Comprehensive Approach to Our Sustainable Energy Goals
In an area as culturally diverse and geographically expansive as the Caribbean, any regional initiative pursuing a meaningful impact requires a strong understanding of the unique contexts and constraints of each society therein. This perspective is only growing more critical as the intensifying effects of climate change and the economic impacts of the ongoing pandemic combine to threaten the region’s growth. Now more than ever, sustainable energy policies such [...]
Preparing for the Realities of Climate Change with the Regional Emergency Response Strategy & Action Plan
In September 2017, Dominica, Saint Croix and Puerto Rico were devastated by Hurricane Maria, the worst natural disaster in the recorded history of those islands. The deadly Category 5 storm destroyed more than 90% of Dominica’s structures as its powerful winds ripped leaves from trees and stranded residents of remote communities without grid-based electricity for more than a year. Maria damaged or destroyed 70% of St. Croix’ buildings (including [...]
Greening the Caribbean Curriculum
The people who will ultimately fulfil CARICOM’s sustainable development goals are currently sitting in classrooms across the Caribbean. Those students will soon be developing and implementing clean energy policies and renewable energy programmes that will enable the region to proceed into its clean energy future. In order to take up the mantle, they need a firm grounding in the changes coming to the regional energy landscape. To provide that [...]
Renewable Energy Academic Excellence at the New Microgrid Training Centre
The success of the Caribbean's shift to sustainability depends on the people currently preparing to lead the way. These budding scientists and engineers are currently pursuing tertiary-level studies in areas such as environmental physics, power engineering, alternative energy and renewable energy technology. In order to chart the path forward, these future pioneers need hands-on experience with the technology that will enable the region to move away from fossil fuels [...]
The Region’s Energy Future in Good Hands
The Region’s Energy Future in Good Hands As an important component of TAPSEC’s commitment to regional capacity development, the Regional Energy Apprenticeship Programme (REAP) provided young professionals with opportunities to gain valuable technical expertise in various areas of CARICOM’s sustainable energy sector. The Programme was conceptualised by the CARICOM Secretariat Energy Unit (CCS) and implemented by TAPSEC in collaboration with the regional institutions at which the internships were provided. [...]
The UWI Mona: Leading the Charge Towards Regional Energy Sustainability in Tertiary Education
Tertiary educational institutions have a critical part to play in the regional transition towards sustainable energy. As the portal through which burgeoning energy professionals step into the regional energy sector and the main means through which existing energy professionals enhance their skill sets, they are incredibly influential in terms of orienting their students towards regional goals. Tertiary educational institutions also help to guide governmental policy decisions across the region through [...]
Creating the Caribbean’s Sustainable Energy Future Through Education
Environmental education is a vital part of creating the changes that will shift the Caribbean towards sustainable energy development. So says Dr. Paulette Bynoe, Deputy Dean of the School of Graduate Studies and Research at the University of Guyana (UG). She would know, having led the team contracted by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)-implemented TAPSEC programme to partner with the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) to “Green” the regional [...]
Gathering Essential Information for CARICOM’s Sustainable Energy Future with Help from OLADE
We live in the information age. At a time when information technology sits at the core of worldwide development and when access to information directly impacts a nation’s ability to provide opportunities for its citizenry, information is very much the key to unlocking CARICOM’s sustainable future. For this vibrant region comprising various cultures and people and connected by a drive to reach that future, strong collaboration is the fuel needed [...]
CXC: Leading the Educational Shift Towards Sustainability with TAPSEC’s Support
The ideal Caribbean person is someone who lives in harmony with their physical and social environment. This is the perspective of Latoya Wedderburn-Rose, a manager in the Syllabus and Curriculum Development Department at the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC). Her organisation is the region’s examinations and awarding body with responsibility for developing the syllabuses used to prepare students for regional examinations. It is also one of TAPSEC’s partners in the “Mainstreaming [...]
Pursuing Regional Sustainability Through Energy Efficiency with CROSQ
A standard is only as strong as the agreement on which it rests and widely agreed-upon quality standards help business to flow freely within the Caribbean and throughout the world. An awareness of this fact guides the efforts of the CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ). Since 2002, the organisation has been tasked with facilitating the development of regional standards, promoting the compatibility of measurement systems and supporting [...]
A Commitment to Collaboration at the Heart of CARILEC’s Mission
For more than 30 years, the Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC) has been at the forefront of regional energy development. From its beginning in 1989 as a nine-member electric utilities modernisation project to its current incarnation as the leading regional association of more than 100 electric energy solution providers, CARILEC has championed the growth and evolution of the regional energy sector. The organisation’s strategic approach to creating that growth [...]
A Regional Sustainable Energy Transition For Us, By Us
The success of the regional sustainable energy transition depends on more than the availability of renewable energy resources and energy-efficient technology. It requires more than experts ready and able to lead the charge. While these things are, of course, critical to the Caribbean's effort to shift toward a low-carbon, sustainable and resilient pathway, they are not enough to get us there. To be successful, the region must believe in its [...]
Partnering to Develop the Dominican Republic’s Sustainable Energy Future
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy sources are the keys to unlocking the seventh United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), which calls for universal access to “affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy”. Through its Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM), the Dominican Republic has committed to taking concrete action towards the sustainable development of a future society that satisfies humanity’s needs in an environmentally-conscious way. MEM partnered with TAPSEC to make [...]
Determination and Innovation at the Core of the Commitment to Solar Energy Heating
Forty-seven years is a long time to remain committed to any cause, let alone one that began as a virtually unknown concept. To develop that cause to the point of not only regional, but global leadership requires a level of dedication that few can claim. James Husbands, Managing Director of Solar Dynamics Limited, can lay claim to a truly inspirational amount of dedication to the cause of sustainable energy. The [...]
TAPSEC Magazine – June 2022
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Project Preparation Facility launches Public Sector Stream
The Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE) welcomed CARICOM Governments developing clean energy projects to take advantage of the services offered by the Project Preparation Facility (PPF). CCREEE launched the Public Sector stream of the facility on May 4, 2021, six months after the launch of the PPF Private Sector Stream. The PPF supports investment and development of sustainable energy projects in the Regio by providing technical [...]
CCREEE spotlights solar integration
The Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE’s) continues to edify regional energy professionals through a virtual capacity building session on Solar Integration. This session was a part of an Integrated Resource and Resilience Plan (IRRP) capacity building series aimed to strengthen energy planning throughout CARICOM. Lecturer in the Department of Physics at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona Campus, Dr. Randy Koon Koon led the [...]
Innovative Approaches in Tertiary Education – The Case of the Master’s Degree in Sustainable Energy and Climate Change at the University of Technology, Jamaica
The Regional Universities Networking (RUN) Webinar will enhance the engagement of the Network with each other and with external stakeholders, by providing a space for the exchange of ideas and facilitate collaborative dialogue. This RUN Webinar was led by Dr. Ruth Potopsingh Vice President with responsibility for Sustainable Energy at the University of Technology (UTech), Jamaica. View a live recording of the webinar here:
Graduates laud LEAP training programme
After eight weeks of intense instruction and practice, 123 energy professionals from 14 CARICOM member States graduated from the globally recognised Low Emissions Analysis Platform (LEAP) training programme. Upon completion, many of the graduates describe the programme as a transformative and empowering experience that has given them the tools to make meaningful contributions to CARICOM’s Energy transformation. The LEAP, a powerful software system for integrated energy planning and climate mitigation [...]
Information Session: Supporting Sustainable Energy Investment Decisions
Targeted towards the public sector, the session will feature two mechanisms within the CCREEE that support sustainable energy investment: the Project Preparation Facility’s (PPF) public sector stream and the CARICOM Energy Knowledge Hub’s (CEKH) Energy Report Cards (ERC). The PPF aims to support the development of bankable sustainable energy projects. The facility offers technical assistance, advisory services, and financial matchmaking to both the private and public sector. The facility commenced [...]
Energy Storage Webinar
Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE) invites you to attend a capacity building session on Energy Storage, to be held virtually on Tuesday, June 1, 2021 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. AST. This presentation will provide a close examination of various technologies to support resilience and key considerations and best practices in design of resilient system, which could include focus primarily on storage. This session will be [...]
Guyana’s Energy Conundrum: Opportunities and Challenges
The Regional Universities Networking (RUN) Webinar will enhance the engagement of the Network with each other and with external stakeholders, by providing a space for the exchange of ideas and facilitate collaborative dialogue. This RUN webinar was led by Mr. Patrick Ketwaru, Lecturer in the Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Guyana (UG).
RUN welcomes new Coordinator
MS. ANGELIKA S. NAMDAR was appointed Coordinator of the CARICOM Regional Universities Network (RUN) on April 16th, 2021 for a period of one year. The RUN is established as a ‘network of excellence’ for research and education on sustainable energy and includes the participation of the national and the regional universities to enhance the engagement of the Network, with each other and with external stakeholders, by providing a space for [...]
The Science of Storytelling: Dr. John Agard honoured as CARICOM Energy Personality; works towards a “coalition of the willing”
In this feature, we present Dr. John Agard to the CARICOM Energy Personality Series. An accomplished Nobel Peace Prize winner, academic author, researcher, tertiary-level professor and independent advisor, it’s no surprise that Dr. John Agard is arguably one of the most prolific and sought-after scientists in the world and has been recognized by CARICOM for its Energy Personality Series 2020. A professor of Tropical Island Ecology, he has been appointed [...]
CARICOM Energy Personality Series Ellsworth Dacon hits the right notes to explore the world of geothermal energy in St. Vincent and the Grenadines
In this feature, we present Ellsworth Dacon to the CARICOM Energy Personality Series. A leader undeterred by seemingly insurmountable challenges, Ellsworth Dacon brings sense to dollars as St. Vincent and the Grenadines moves strategically towards sustainable living. As the Director of Energy, he has applied his nineteen-year experience within the field of energy to venture into widening the lens of public and private collaborations, while closing the gap of energy [...]
CARICOM Energy Personality Series A Woman of Action: Manorma Soeknandan strengthens Suriname’s resolve towards energy efficiency
In this feature, we present Dr. Manorma Soeknandan to the CARICOM Energy Personality Series. As a career diplomat, Dr. Manorma Soeknandan brings a wealth of experience to the renewable energy front within the CARICOM region. Her distinguished leadership style has indubitably enriched the industry framework in her native Suriname, helping to bridge the gap between policy and implementation of needful programmes and services across communities, cities and countries that she [...]
CARICOM Energy Personality Series Roger Blackman activates powerful community spirit to optimize energy efficiency initiatives in Barbados
In this feature, we present Roger Blackman to the CARICOM Energy Personality Series. With a personal story and professional life that paints a prototypical picture of regional interconnectivity, the life’s work of Roger Blackman is one that truly represents the limitless potential of the Caribbean as it relates to sustainable development. As the Managing Director of Barbados Light & Power (BL&P), he has successfully dedicated his expertise in the field [...]
Heather Pinnock envisions a new era of Sustainable Tropical Living in the Caribbean
In this feature, we present Heather Pinnock to the CARICOM Energy Personality Series. As a Jamaican-born Sustainability Champion and brilliant architect, Heather Pinnock’s career portfolio has focused on a number of challenges that centre around eco-friendly urbanity. Pinnock’s long-standing and meritorious advocacy, which has anchored itself in the promotion of building Caribbean environments which are resilient for future generations, has seen her featured in Forbes Magazine and, most recently, one [...]
Step By Step: Anthony Chen illuminates pathways to renewable energy solutions in Jamaica
In this feature, we present Dr. Anthony Chen to the CARICOM Energy Personality Series. There is no doubt that the modern world requires evolved concepts and frameworks to combat the effects of climate predictions and projections within impacted socio-economic sectors. Globally, the lack of action threatens devastating consequences for future generations if the world chooses not to act quickly in the best interests of the environment. In Jamaica, Dr. Anthony [...]
Taking Charge of Sustainability: Paul Lewis reimagines the bright future of Montserrat
In this feature, we present Hon. Paul Lewis to the CARICOM Energy Personality Series. Widely known across the island as a “servant of the people”, Hon. Paul Lewis’ distinguished reputation in the energy sector has won the hearts of a number of Montserratians at the community level as the President of the Civil Service Association, as well as earned him the respect of his political challengers as the astute Opposition [...]
CDF and CCREEE Jointly Launch Facilities to Support the Development and Financing of Sustainable Energy Projects in the Caribbean Community
Wednesday, 25 November 2020 | Bridgetown, Barbados The CARICOM Development Fund (CDF) and the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE) today strengthened their partnership when the two regional institutions jointly launched two facilities intended to support sustainable energy projects within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). The launch – held under the theme, “Accelerating Sustainable Energy Solutions: From Ideas to Investments” – featured the CCREEE Project Preparation Facility (PPF) [...]
TAPSEC to Host Free Virtual Training for Financial Institutions in Evaluating Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Investments
TAPSEC to Host Free Virtual Training for Financial Institutions in Evaluating Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Investments July 22, 2020 – Georgetown, Guyana The Technical Assistance Programme for Sustainable Energy in the Caribbean (TAPSEC) is hosting a free two-day online training on “Evaluating Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Investments in the Caribbean” from July 23-24, 2020. The training, hosted on Microsoft TEAMS, runs daily from 9:00am to 12:00pm. Aimed at [...]
YOUTH TAKE CENTRE STAGE AT CARICOM ENERGY MONTH ACTIVITIES CONTINUE
Wednesday, 11 November 2020 | Bridgetown, Barbados – Under the theme, “YOUth at the Centre of CARICOM’s Energy Future”, young people from across CARICOM member states will join energy experts, thought leaders and policymakers at the CARICOM Energy Month (#CEM2020) Virtual Youth Forum set to take place on Friday 13 November 2020 at 1 PM AST. The event is a collaboration between the CARICOM Secretariat, the UK Government, the Caribbean [...]
Energy Finance, Technology and Capacity at Centre of CARICOM Energy Month Launch as Experts Discuss Path to Sustainable, Climate-Resilient Future for the Region
Monday, 02 November 2020 | Georgetown, Guyana – Under the theme “A RE-silient Community: Energy at the Centre”, CARICOM Energy Month got underway on 2 November with a virtual regional launch in the form of a panel discussion. The 2020 launch was held by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat’s Energy Unit in collaboration with the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE), the Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation [...]
Virtual Panel Discussion to launch CARICOM Energy Month
Friday, 30 October 2020 | Bridgetown, Barbados The fifth observance of CARICOM Energy Month (CEM) will be launched on 2 November under the theme ‘A RE-silient Community: Energy at the Centre’. Each November, the spotlight is placed on energy as part of efforts to raise awareness of what is occurring in the region as well as to increase general knowledge about the sector. The CARICOM Secretariat, the Caribbean Centre for [...]
Churchill Norbert takes sustainable tourism to new heights for Antigua and Barbuda
In this feature, we present Mr. Churchill Norbert to the CARICOM Energy Personality Series. A proud “Caribbean Citizen” in every sense of the term, Mr. Churchill Norbert’s vibrant cultural appreciation takes root in his dual nationalities with St. Lucia – land of his birth – and Antigua and Barbuda, where he currently resides and has made significant contributions on the sustainable energy front. From sea to shining sea, Mr. Norbert’s [...]
Saint Lucia Development Bank (SLDB) becomes the first Financing Partner of the Credit Risk Abatement Facility (CRAF) to benefit SMEs
The Caribbean region is set to benefit from significant investments in Renewable Energy (RE) and Energy Efficiency (EE) projects, with the rollout of the Credit Risk Abatement Facility (CRAF), a product of the CARICOM Development Fund (CDF), aimed at incentivizing investments in Small and Medium-Size Enterprises (SMEs), advancing RE and EE projects. On April 28th, 2021, the CDF signed its first Master Guarantee Agreement, to provide partial credit guarantee, through [...]
Innovative Approaches in Tertiary Education
Innovative Approaches in Tertiary Education – The Case of the Master’s Degree in Sustainable Energy and Climate Change at the University of Technology, Jamaica The Regional Universities Networking (RUN) Webinar will enhance the engagement of the Network with each other and with external stakeholders, by providing a space for the exchange of ideas and facilitate collaborative dialogue. This RUN Webinar was led by Dr. Ruth Potopsingh Vice President [...]
Project Preparation Facility launches Public Sector Stream
Project Preparation Facility launches Public Sector Stream The Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE) welcomed CARICOM Governments developing clean energy projects to take advantage of the services offered by the Project Preparation Facility (PPF). CCREEE launched the Public Sector stream of the facility on May 4, 2021, six months after the launch of the PPF Private Sector Stream. The PPF supports investment and development of [...]
Information Session: Supporting Sustainable Energy Investment Decisions
Information Session: Supporting Sustainable Energy Investment Decisions Targeted towards the public sector, the session will feature two mechanisms within the CCREEE that support sustainable energy investment: the Project Preparation Facility’s (PPF) public sector stream and the CARICOM Energy Knowledge Hub’s (CEKH) Energy Report Cards (ERC). The PPF aims to support the development of bankable sustainable energy projects. The facility offers technical assistance, advisory services, and financial matchmaking to [...]
Energy Storage Webinar
Energy Storage Webinar Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE) invites you to attend a capacity building session on Energy Storage, to be held virtually on Tuesday, June 1, 2021 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. AST. This presentation will provide a close examination of various technologies to support resilience and key considerations and best practices in design of resilient system, which could include focus primarily on [...]
CCREEE spotlights solar integration
CCREEE spotlights solar integration The Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE’s) continues to edify regional energy professionals through a virtual capacity building session on Solar Integration. This session was a part of an Integrated Resource and Resilience Plan (IRRP) capacity building series aimed to strengthen energy planning throughout CARICOM. Lecturer in the Department of Physics at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona Campus, [...]
CDF and CCREEE Jointly Launch Facilities to Support the Development and Financing of Sustainable Energy Projects in the Caribbean Community
CDF and CCREEE Jointly Launch Facilities to Support the Development and Financing of Sustainable Energy Projects in the Caribbean Community Wednesday, 25 November 2020 | Bridgetown, Barbados – The CARICOM Development Fund (CDF) and the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE) today strengthened their partnership when the two regional institutions jointly launched two facilities intended to support sustainable energy projects within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). [...]
YOUTH TAKE CENTRE STAGE AT CARICOM ENERGY MONTH ACTIVITIES CONTINUE
YOUTH TAKE CENTRE STAGE AT CARICOM ENERGY MONTH ACTIVITIES CONTINUE Wednesday, 11 November 2020 | Bridgetown, Barbados – Under the theme, "YOUth at the Centre of CARICOM's Energy Future", young people from across CARICOM member states will join energy experts, thought leaders and policymakers at the CARICOM Energy Month (#CEM2020) Virtual Youth Forum set to take place on Friday 13 November 2020 at 1 PM AST. The [...]
Energy Finance, Technology and Capacity at Centre of CARICOM Energy Month Launch as Experts Discuss Path to Sustainable, Climate-Resilient Future for the Region
Energy Finance, Technology and Capacity at Centre of CARICOM Energy Month Launch as Experts Discuss Path to Sustainable, Climate-Resilient Future for the Region Monday, 02 November 2020 | Georgetown, Guyana – Under the theme “A RE-silient Community: Energy at the Centre”, CARICOM Energy Month got underway on 2 November with a virtual regional launch in the form of a panel discussion. The 2020 launch was held by the [...]
‘COME TAKE A DRIVE’ VIRTUAL ELECTRIC VEHICLE ROADSHOW ON 20 NOVEMBER
‘COME TAKE A DRIVE’ VIRTUAL ELECTRIC VEHICLE ROADSHOW ON 20 NOVEMBER Tuesday, 17 November 2020 | Bridgetown, Barbados – Car owners, car enthusiasts and persons interested in the growing electric vehicle (EV) market in the Region, will have an opportunity to take a virtual drive on Friday 20 November. The ‘Take a Drive’ Virtual Electric Vehicle Roadshow is one of the activities of CARICOM Energy Month which is [...]
Former energy ministers lead off Regional Energy Dialogue series Monday
Former energy ministers lead off Regional Energy Dialogue series Monday Monday, 16 November, 2020 | Bridgetown, Barbados - Three former CARICOM Energy Ministers led the Regional Energy Dialogue series today, one of the seminal activities of CARICOM Energy Month. Mr. Darcy Boyce of Barbados; Mr. Phillip Paulwell of Jamaica and Mr. Kevin Ramnarine of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, all former Ministers of Energy, reflected on the strides the region has made [...]
Launch of the Project Preparation Facility and Credit Risk Abatement Facility
Launch of the Project Preparation Facility and Credit Risk Abatement Facility November 25, 2020 CCREEE and the Caribbean Development Fund (CDF), jointly launched the Project Preparation Facility (PPF) and the Credit Risk Abatement Facility (CRAF). The PPF will provide technical assistance, advisory support, and financial matchmaking for regional energy project developers, investors, and financiers. The CRAF, will support local lenders investing in sustainable energy projects and incentivise lending [...]
Virtual Electric Vehicle Roadshow
Virtual Electric Vehicle Roadshow November 20, 2020 The increased adoption of Electric Vehicles (EVs) is essential to decarbonising CARICOM’s transportation sector and transitioning to a low-carbon future. Targeting car owners, enthusiasts and anyone who is interested in the growing EV market, the four-part virtual roadshow answered important questions on the operationalisation, cost, maintenance and types of EVs available in the region. Through video presentation, the ‘Take a Drive’ [...]
CSEF CARICOM Energy Dialogues
CSEF CARICOM Energy Dialogues November 16-19, 2020 The Regional Energy Dialogues was a four-day panel discussion drawing from the expertise of former regional Energy Ministers, institution leaders, utility managers and innovation leaders to provide insight into the actions and strategies through which countries can ‘shift their energy systems away from traditional, legacy designs’ to modern, smart and resilient alternatives capable of more effectively supporting their sustainable development needs. [...]
The YOUth Energy Forum
The YOUth Energy Forum November 13, 2020 Under the theme, ‘YOUth at the Centre of CARICOM's Energy Future’, young people from across CARICOM member states joined energy experts, thought leaders and policymakers at the CEM2020 Virtual Youth Energy Forum. The event was held in collaboration between the CARICOM Secretariat, the UK Government, CCREEE and TAPSEC. The three-part forum featured presentations from regional and international development organisations, regional youth-led [...]
The CEM 2020 Panel Discussion and Live Q&A
The CEM 2020 Panel Discussion and Live Q&A November 2, 2020 The panel discussion featured finance and policy experts, Dr. Devon Gardner, Programme Manager – CARICOM Energy, Ms. Kim Griffith Tang-How, Director of Customer Solutions at the Barbados Light and Power Company (BLPC), Ms. Angella Rainford, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Soleco and Rekamniar Frontier Ventures, and Professor Chandrabhan Sharma, Professor in the Department of Electrical and [...]
GIZ-TAPSEC and UWI Mona Sign Financing Agreement
GIZ-TAPSEC and UWI Mona Sign Financing Agreement for the Establishment of Micro-Grid Facility and Strengthening of Teacher Capacity to deliver CXC CAPE Green Engineering syllabus, online Recognising the critical role of academic institutions in facilitating the region’s sustainable energy transition, GIZ and the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona campus, signed a financing agreement in August for the institutional strengthening of the Mona campus and the Caribbean [...]
Integrated Resource and Resilience Planning to Strengthen Caribbean Energy Sector and Boost Climate Resilience
Integrated Resource and Resilience Planning to Strengthen Caribbean Energy Sector and Boost Climate Resilience In the past decade, Caribbean countries have endured increasingly abnormal hydro-meteorological phenomena which have decimated communities and local industries, collapsed energy infrastructure, ravaged regional budgets and laid bare the low resilience of Caribbean energy systems to climate change. As a solution to these challenges which continue to affect the social and economic progress of [...]
PM Mottley urges bold policy strides to push CARICOM energy transformation at launch of PPF and CRAF
PM Mottley urges bold policy strides to push CARICOM energy transformation at launch of PPF and CRAF The Right Honourable Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados encouraged fellow CARICOM States to actively pursue the policy measures that would transform CARICOM’s energy landscape. Prime Minister Mottley made this call to action while delivering the keynote speech at the joint launch of the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy [...]
CARICOM | TAPSEC – Leading the RE policy transition across the Caribbean
CARICOM | TAPSEC - Leading the RE policy transition across the Caribbean With the launch of the CARICOM Energy Policy & Regulations Help Desk, agencies across the Caribbean are confident in the support it will provide in advancing the region’s transition to renewable energy resources in the face of supply and economic challenges with imported fossil fuels. The Help Desk is an intervention under the policy component of [...]
TAPSEC Investing in Caribbean Labour for a Sustainable, Climate Resilient Future
TAPSEC Investing in Caribbean Labour for a Sustainable, Climate Resilient Future With significant advancements planned and underway in policy, regulation, and financing for sustainable energy solutions in the Caribbean, growing the technical capacity of the region’s labour force is paramount in the transition plan to a low-carbon future. The inaugural CARICOM Regional Energy Apprenticeship Programme (REAP), according to Simon Zellner, Programme Lead of the Technical Assistance Programme for [...]
50+ Energy Stakeholders Harness the Power of Wind
50+ Energy Stakeholders Harness the Power of Wind Traditional energy systems within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) continue to find themselves at the mercy of fluctuations within the energy market, the limitations of traditional designs, and the unpredictable impacts of natural disasters. As a result, following plans outlined within the CARICOM Energy Policy, Member States are working assiduously to transition to renewable energy, relying heavily on energy diversification within [...]
Antigua and Barbuda Kick off NEP revision
Antigua and Barbuda Kick off NEP revision The island nation of Antigua and Barbuda is set to benefit from a Revision of its National Energy Policy (NEP), which kicked off on Friday, February 19, 2021. Not only will the revised NEP provide the framework for a greater integration of renewable energy (RE) sources in the national grid, but it will also streamline the process for RE investment approvals, [...]
CCREEE Workshop Series Focuses on Demand Projection and Demand Side Management
CCREEE Workshop Series Focuses on Demand Projection and Demand Side Management The Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE) has been hosting a series of virtual capacity building sessions to help prepare regional energy actors for the future of the electricity sector. The CCREEE is mandated to help develop and deliver Integrated Resource and Resilience Plans (IRRPs) for several CARICOM Member States. The workshops seek to [...]
CCREEE Develops Capacity of Hydropower Project Developers
CCREEE Develops Capacity of Hydropower Project Developers At the 82nd Special Meeting of the Council of Trade and Economic Development (COTED), CARICOM endorsed the methodology, principles, and practices of Integrated Resource and Resilience Plans (IRRPs) as the preferred method for renewable energy (RE) development for CARICOM Member States, each of which will have produced a national IRRP by 2023. Mandated to work alongside Member States on the development [...]
Introduction to Grid Modelling
Introduction to Grid Modelling Grid modelling and grid impact studies have become increasingly important for effective energy system planning as it provides policymakers and other energy actors with key information that produces good estimates for future energy systems. This data is instrumental as the Caribbean transitions into sustainable energy production. The Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE), alongside its partners, The University of the West [...]
LEAP, Empowering Regional Energy Professionals with the Capacity to Transition the Caribbean to a Sustainable Future
LEAP, Empowering Regional Energy Professionals with the Capacity to Transition the Caribbean to a Sustainable Future As the global energy landscape undergoes a profound transformation, characterised primarily by a rapid growth of renewables, CARICOM member states continue to work assiduously to advance sustainable energy developments, mainstream renewable energy technologies, integrate electric vehicles into the transportation sector and transition traditional legacy systems to renewable energy systems. In an effort [...]
St. Lucia Powering Toward 35% RE
St. Lucia Powering Toward 35% RE As Saint Lucia races toward achieving 35% renewable energy penetration by 2025, the National Utilities Regulatory Commission (NURC) kicked off a Capacity Building Workshop series under the ‘Study for Establishing the Rates of Renewable Energy for Saint Lucia’, an energy pricing project. The six-session training series commenced on February 2nd and will conclude on February 15th. The series is facilitated through the [...]
PPF, CRAF Targets Regional Project Developers & Financiers
PPF, CRAF Targets Regional Project Developers & Financiers Gone are the days when Caribbean renewable energy (RE) and energy efficiency (EE) project developers need to look outside the Region for project and business plan refinement or financing. The Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE) and the CARICOM Development Fund (CDF) are now filling the regional demand for technical and financial assistance for clean energy project [...]
RUN Brings Together Academia, Industry, and NGOs
RUN Brings Together Academia, Industry, and NGOs The primary objective of the Regional Universities Network (RUN) is to function as a “network of excellence” within the research, innovation and education ecosystem to help promote sustainable development within the region. In an effort to fulfil this mandate, the RUN hosted an hour-long open discussion themed ‘Cross-border collaborations: the role of academia, industry and NGOs’. The session kicked off with [...]
Sargassum Seaweed for Green Transportation
Sargassum Seaweed for Green Transportation The island State of Barbados has set the ambitious goal to be 100% fossil fuel free by 2030. In pursuit of that goal, the Government of Barbados has invested in green power production and green public transportation. While electric vehicles will play a significant role in this transition, the need for alternative fuel vehicles will still be substantial. Every month, the Caribbean Centre [...]
CRAF Signs First Financing Partner
CRAF Signs First Financing Partner The Caribbean region will now benefit from significant investments in Renewable Energy (RE) and Energy Efficiency (EE) projects with the rollout of the Credit Risk Abatement Facility (CRAF), a product of the Caribbean Development Fund (CDF), aimed at incentivizing investments in Small and Medium-Size Enterprises (SMEs), advancing clean energy projects. On April 28th, the CDF signed its first Master Guarantee Agreement for financial [...]
CCREEE IRRP Workshop Series: Data Collection and Climate Vulnerability Modelling
CCREEE IRRP Workshop Series: Data Collection and Climate Vulnerability Modelling The Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE) is mandated to help several CARICOM member States develop and implement their respective integrated resource and resilience plans (IRRPs). IRRPs are particularly important to the region’s renewable energy development because they consider many varied sources of power to fulfil local energy demand. Thus, making this the preferred method [...]
CARICOM’s First Energy Knowledge Hub Launched
CARICOM’s First Energy Knowledge Hub Launched The Caribbean is now home to its first energy data repository and knowledge management framework, the CARICOM Energy Knowledge Hub (CEKH). The Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE) launched the hub on Thursday, April 29 2021, during an hour-long virtual opening ceremony. The CEKH was conceptualized in 2014 to fill knowledge gaps and allow energy actors, students, and others [...]
Integrated Resource and Resilience Planning to Strengthen Caribbean Energy Sector and Boost Climate Resilience
Integrated Resource and Resilience Planning to Strengthen Caribbean Energy Sector and Boost Climate Resilience Caribbean countries have endured increasingly abnormal hydro-meteorological phenomenons which have decimated communities and industries, collapsed energy infrastructure, ravaged regional budgets and exposed the low resilience of Caribbean energy systems to climate change. As a solution, the GIZ, funded by the BMZ, partnered with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat, is implementing the project “Climate [...]
TAPSEC – CARICOM Policy Help Desk
CARICOM | TAPSEC – Leading the RE/EE policy & regulation transition across the Caribbean The launch of the CARICOM Energy Policy and Regulations Help Desk, on July 29, 2020, promised major support in advancing the region’s transition to renewable energy (RE) resources as agencies face supply and economic challenges with imported fossil fuels. The Help Desk will provide member states with technical assistance for (i) the modernisation of [...]
Building on Solid Foundations: The Key to a Successful IRRP
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IRRPs Advance in 3 Countries, New Beneficiaries Added
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Knee Deep in a COVID-19 Stricken Economy, Why Should the Caribbean Accelerate Investment in Sustainable Energy?
Knee Deep in a COVID-19 Stricken Economy, Why Should the Caribbean Accelerate Investment in Sustainable Energy? By: Dr Gary Jackson, Executive Director, CCREEE During recent interviews on the newly launched Project Preparation Facility (PPF) - established by the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE) - the host asked an interesting question: “what kind of uptake does the PPF expect in 2021 given the region’s [...]
TAPSEC Green Finance Press Release
TAPSEC to Host Free Virtual Training for Financial Institutions in Evaluating Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Investments July 22, 2020 – Georgetown, Guyana The Technical Assistance Programme for Sustainable Energy in the Caribbean (TAPSEC) is hosting a free two-day online training on “Evaluating Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Investments in the Caribbean” from July 23-24, 2020. The training, hosted on Microsoft TEAMS, runs daily from 9:00am to 12:00pm. [...]
This website was created by the Technical Assistance Programme for Sustainable Energy in the Caribbean (TAPSEC) and is maintained with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of the TAPSEC and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.
This website was created by the Technical Assistance Programme for Sustainable Energy in the Caribbean (TAPSEC) and is maintained with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of the TAPSEC and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.
