Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit, has pointed out that the high cost of energy makes the Caribbean un-competitive for business and as such regional governments must ensure that they can harness renewable sources of energy for the benefit of the people.
He was speaking on Monday at the beginning of a two-day validation workshop geared at determining the technical and institutional design of a Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREE).
Skerrit pointed out that the transformation of the energy sector from the dependence on expensive imported fossil fuels to one that is powered by clean sources of renewable energy should be a priority.
“Building capacity, resource assessment and research and development in renewable energy must be at the top of our agenda,” he said. “The consolidation of regional institutions to better service the needs of our member states is a critical component to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy and to enhance energy efficiency in our region. An institution that is focused on providing training, policy advice, the mobilization of resources, and research and development would provide critical support to our countries. It is in this context that I endorse the establishment of the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy.”
According to the Prime Minister one of the weaknesses of Renewable Energy (RE) initiatives and Efficient Energy initiatives (EE) in the Caribbean is the lack of projects to demonstrate the benefits.
“One of the weaknesses with EE and RE initiatives in the Caribbean is the abundance of talk, studies, policies, and recommendations but very little projects to demonstrate the benefits of RE and EE,” he noted. “Several studies that have been conducted in the Caribbean identify the lack of political will as the major barrier to the deployment of RE and EE. The lack of adequate investments in these areas has also been identified as one of the failures of regional governments. Dominica has displayed the political will and leadership to move RE and EE by its significant investments in them over the years.”
He noted further that Dominica will soon become the only small island state to export electricity indicating that this coupled with the generation of hydro electricity will allow for the transition from dependence on the importation of expensive fossil fuel.
The Prime Minister was also encouraged that Dominica could be host to the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency stating that the country has the highest percentage of Renewable Energy in its energy mix among the Caribbean countries.
The centre comes as a response to the difficult energy situation in many of the Caribbean islands.
The initiative follows up on an official request of Small Island Developing States (SIDSDOCK) to United Nations Industrial Development Agency (UNIDO) and the Austrian Government to assist in the creation of regional sustainable energy centers for SIDS in the Caribbean, Pacific, Africa and the Indian Ocean.
The proposal for creating CCREE takes place at the background of promising developments in which smal islands have adopted national renewable power generation targets and investments in renewable energy power stations, mini-grids and stand-alone systems are growing.
The says be sure that your SINS will find u OUT that’s all I am saying for now peace and love DA
Martinique starting Ocean Thermal Energy
Two things the P.M. can do straight away to reduce our cost of nervy (i.e. electricity)
– cut the profit he makes on the imported fuel
– remove, or at least reduce the Vat on electricity bills.
Hello and good morning my people. Well some very interesting comments by our Prime Minister but why don’t we start by building about four Dams on some of the big rivers that’s just emptying into the Sea. When you land at The Airport the first thing you see is a big River just emptying into the Sea and this is so painful to see because so many places need fresh drinking water. We can also encourage businesses and residential owners to use Solar Panels and probably provide some tax incentives to facilitate such use. Many Countries are spending millions of dollars to import Oil so we must encourage our citizens to used different sources to produce energy which would mean that we can save money.
What about wind energy generating electricity, wind turbines. As small as Dominica is it would only take two to power the whole city of Roseau built on morne Bruce. Hydro electric could be the back-up. A lot of US states are starting to use wind turbines. Google EL Paso Texas EL Paso Electric wind Turbines in West Texas. If it can be done elsewhere it can be done in Dominica where the wind blows all the time on the coast.
While reading this article, I thought, as the PM said, Dominica could be host to the Caribbean Centre for RE and EE.
For one, D/ca has more fresh and clean water than those other countries.
I hope this comes to fruition. It could create funding for the economy and employment. Fellow D/cans give this your blessing and pray for it to happen.
Although the PM claims that Dominica has the highest percentage of renewable energy in its energy mix among the Caribbean Countries , however he failed to say that Dominicans pay the highest rates of energy among the Caribbean Countries.
Although the PM claims that Dominica has the highest percentage of renewable energy in its energy mix among the Caribbean Countries, he failed to say that Dominica has the highest energy rates in the Caribbean.
I can’t listen to that boy anymore; he plays too much pranks and tells too much lies.
“I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE SAME ROSEVELT SKERRIT PENNED THIS NONESENSE”………SOMEONE MAY HAVE SCRIPT IT FOR HIM…….HE HAS NOT HOT THE POLITICAL FORTITUDE TO COMPREHEND THE ECONOMICS OF THIS SUBJECT MATTER”
“Building capacity, resource assessment and research and development in renewable energy must be at the top of our agenda”
The ONLY ALTERNATIVE ENERGY we want in Dominica is SKERRIT OUT and make way for decent and honourable government in Dominica. The alternate would be TEAM DOIMINICA lead by Lennox Linton……that change we trust.
We were promised cheap electricity many times under Petro CARIBE AND CHAVEZ DIED…IT DIED WITH HIM.
Skerrit is IN NO position to talk of alternative this and that….his government is corrupt and he heads it.
WE NEED CHANGE NOW…IT IS A MUST..GOOD BYE
VOTE FOR DOMINICA
“I DO NOT BELIECVE THAT THE SAME ROSEVELT SKERRIT PENNED THIS NONESENSE”………SOMEONE MAY HAVE SCRIOT IT FOR HIM…….HE HAS NOT HOT THE POLITICSAL FIRTITUDE TO CONPOREHEND THE ECONOMICS OF THIS SUBJECT MATTER”
“Building capacity, resource assessment and research and development in renewable energy must be at the top of our agenda”
The ONLY ALTERNATIVE ENERGY we want in Dominica is SKERRIT OUT and make way for decent and honourable government in Dominica. the alternate would be team Dominica lead by Lennox Linton……that change we trust.
We were promised cheap electricity many times under Petro CARIBE AND CHAVEZ DIED…IT DIED WITH HIM.
Skerrit is NO position to talk of alternative this and that….his government is corrupt and he heads it.
WE NEED CHANGE NOW…IT IS A MUST..GOOD BYE
VOTE FOR DOMINICA
This PM will be working overnight on Tuesday to incorporate some of the plans/programmes of Team Dominicas/UWP budget into theirs.
Pardner, Jobs should be #1. #jobs for Dominicans, not energy for all else. Export water, we have that in abundance. Every one NEEDS water, can’t go wrong and it’s at NO COST to us…it’s all over the darn place and don’t have to create it like that energy thingy you’re belching about. Renewed energy has not lessened my electric bill where I live…
That reminds me of M.J. Davis DNO commentary on Geothermal article Citizen Choice – Patriotism or Politics – I went back and read it – ??? word for word almost??? Must be a Skerrit man for them to be using the same words like that … UWP must stay tune
as far as i can remember Ather matin the environmentalist
been like a lone voice asking for renewable energy
Nice one… that’s an ace. And while we at it lets start deep discussion on the dream and vision of getting the next UWI Londonderrry Campus specializing in volcanism/geology, hydrology, wind engineering, metereology, oceanography among other core Univ. courses to compliment the establishment of the CCREE. Cavehill, St. Augustine and Mona CANNOT provide the natural setting for ALL these elements of renewable energy development. Time to make a case for a resident campus within the OECS sub-region!!!!
Yep that’s what a leader does lead and let the rest follow, I am so proud to say am a Dominican cause I know these kind of people respect people that break down barriers. Funny thing is we Dominicans never see what we have ie woman, man, or PM’s but I for one knows what we have in the PM that we have cause he trail’s like a trailblazer.
PM can’t you remember you told us Petro Caribe would solve our energy woes Sir? Who are the big beneficiaries of Petro Caribe now Mr PM?
Well PM whatever BENEFIT Renewable Energy has for us, i hope that UWP/ TEAM DOMINICA go about it carefully and ensure that in the long run, ALL SHALL BENEFIT, not A FEW SHALL BENEFIT ALL!
WORKERSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!
HOW LONG?
NOT LONG!
… like when UWP sold DOMLEC to a Florida US company in 1997 for $10 million after Freedom invested over $40 plus million in hydro power and the grid system
…since then that company sold DOMLEC for how much $$$ ??? they made a big profit …. so the question begs itself … why did the UWPees sell DOMLEC so cheap ???
… who got paid ??? and what % % % ?
@% , sweet dreams, are you sleeping beauty ? you better wake up and smell the coffee and get used to going forward with the “DLP, LABOUR KA TWAVIE”
labour Ka Mal twavayyy
WORKERS are mainly business men and politicians, they WILL do things for personal profit as business men and politicians do. We can just hope what they do benefit the country…..unlike the sale of Domlec. (will they sell Dowasco?)