Regional approaches to renewable projects needed
Caribbean
Modernisation of electricity grids and joint investment is a part of the conversation that Caribbean countries should be having to move away from their fossil fuel pasts and into renewable energy futures, according to Barbados Minister of Energy and Business, Lisa Cummins.
Speaking virtually to stakeholders at the Caribbean Sustainable Energy Conference in the Hilton Hotel on Monday, Cummins said the question that should be asked now is whether the various countries’ grids have the ability and capacity to reach the renewable energy targets in the timeframe set. That becomes an issue of security, she noted.
In 2024, Cummins said Barbados spent close to US$1 billion, in fossil fuel imports, and the previous year, the island spent US$924 million in fossil fuel imports, That resulted in foreign exchange drain, but also it was money spent that could be used for other purposes.
“Energy security then becomes how do we take the resources, whether it’s the sun, wind, onshore, offshore, geothermal, and then convert that into energy sources to power our residential homes, commercial plants, and how do we sustainably do that? That becomes a question of energy security as well, transitioning from fossils to renewables.”
Image: Solar-panels-zbynek