Sustainable Energy & Development News - January 2012

Sustainable Energy & Development News

VOL.1 JANUARY 2012

THE MONTHLY REVIEW OF SUSTAINABLE ENERGY & DEVELOPMENT NEWS IN THE CARIBBEAN FROM THE REGION”S LEADING INFORMATION PLATFORMS.

This publication is prepared by the Caribbean Energy Information System.

27-1-2012 || Bahamian Susan Larson Joins Ocean Thermal Energy Corporation Ocean Thermal Energy Corporation (OTE) is pleased to announce the appointment of Susan Larson as Senior Vice President and Executive Director of OTE’s Bahamas Operations. OTE Corporation is to move forward with two 5-10 MW renewable energy ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) plants in the Bahamas. Read more 27-1-2012 || American firm to invest US$30m in green energy plant in Jamaica American Energy firm GreenRG Management LLC, is to invest some US$30 million (J$2.6 billion) to finance a plant to manufacture and assemble energy-efficient equipment. GreenRG has already completed testing and research of new solar technology for a range of uses, including in national and parochial offices and schools. Read more 25-1-2012 || Largest solar farm to be built in Jamaica The Toronto-based Solamon Energy Corporation says it plans to build the largest solar power plant in the Caribbean on the island. Read more 16-1-2012 || IDB Approves $30 Million for Regional Green Energy Fund Renewable energy projects including wind, solar, small hydropower and geothermal in Latin America and the Caribbean will get a boost in the form of loans worth around $30 million from the Inter-American Development Bank. Read more

JANUARY 2012 IN REVIEW BE IN THE KNOW ON RENEWABLE ENERGY

We are connected!

Join us on…

CIPORE EVENTS, See All Events AMCHAM Private Sector Forum on Energy February 9, 2012 Renewable Energy World Conference & Expo North America February 14-16, 2012 2012 Metering and Smart Grids Caribbean Conference February 22-24, 2012 Caribbean Urban Forum 2012 March 14- 17, 2012 3rd Annual Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Sustainable Tourism Conference (STC 13) April 2-4, 2012 Solar Energy International Offers Renewable Energy Tour of Cuba April 19-29, 2012 Renewable Energy Finance Forum – Latin America and Caribbean (REFF-LAC)

27-1-2012 || Bahamian Susan Larson Joins Ocean Thermal Energy Corporation Ocean Thermal Energy Corporation (OTE) is pleased to announce the appointment of Susan Larson as Senior Vice President and Executive Director of OTE’s Bahamas Operations. OTE Corporation is to move forward with two 5-10 MW renewable energy ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) plants in the Bahamas. Read more 27-1-2012 || Looking for new energy sources in Cuba Specifically, the Center for Biogas and Environmental Engineering, located in Sancti Spiritus, is developing physical examinations, chemical and microbiological using forest waste, industrial, agricultural and animals. Read more 27-1-2012 || Cuba to Build A Hundred Modern Biogas Plants Cuba will build 100 cutting-edge tubular biogas plants out of PVC in an effort to reduce the negative environmental impact generated by pig manure. Read more 27-1-2012 || American firm to invest US$30m in green energy plant in Jamaica American Energy firm GreenRG Management LLC, is to invest some US$30 million (J$2.6 billion) to finance a plant to manufacture and assemble energy-efficient equipment. GreenRG has already completed testing and research of new solar technology for a range of uses, including in national and parochial offices and schools. Read more 26-1-2012 || Cuba has high solar energy potential A specialist of the Energy Information and Development Management Center (CUBAENERGIA), Mario Arrastia, affirmed that the sun is the island’s main source for renewable energy. Read more 25-1-2012 || Largest solar farm to be built in Jamaica The Toronto-based Solamon Energy Corporation says it plans to build the largest solar power plant in the Caribbean on the island. Read more

CIPORE EVENTS, See All Events Islands of the World XII Conference 2012 May 29- June 1, 2012 RIO+20 June 20-22, 2012 International Conference on Technology Transfer and Renewable Energy 2012 June 21-22, 2012 CARILEC Renewable Energy Forum 2012 September 18-19, 2012 PROUD MEDIA PARTNER OF: Renewable Energy Finance Forum – Latin America and Caribbean (REFF-LAC) April 24-25, 2012

2012 Metering and Smart Grids Caribbean February 22-24, 2012

Click here to register at the discounted rate –quote validation code CEI 01

25-1-2012 || Haiti launches solar electricity project The programme, ‘Give Me Light, Give Me Life’, seeks to build credit for rural Haitians as they take out loans to purchase small solar kits for charging their cellphones or computers. Read more 24-1-2012 || EU to fund G$615M hydropower station in Guyana The European Union has agreed to fund the construction of a small hydropower station on the Chiung River at Kato in Region Eight. Read more

We are connected!

Join us on…

23-1-2012 ||US company turns to seawater as source of energy in the Bahamas Ocean Thermal Energy Corporation (OTEC) of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, plans to build the Caribbean’s first commercial plant to exploit differences in ocean temperatures to generate electricity in the Bahamas. Read more 23-1-2012 || UWI Cave Hill Campus out front with Renewable Energy A science and technology revolution is in store for Cave Hill, which is designed to transform the campus environment into a Renewable Energy Technology Demonstration Centre. Read more 20-1-2012 ||Jamaica government plans to remove tax from RE equipment Phillip Paulwell, Energy Minister says the government will be looking to having tax removed from renewable energy equipment. Read more 20-1-2012 || Nevis and Dominica discuss way forward for geothermal energy Premier of Nevis, Joseph Parry, met with Dominica’s Minister of Energy, Rayburn Blackmoore, to discuss the way forward for geothermal energy on both islands. Read more 17-1-2012 ||Researchers from Scotland and Cuba turn destructive plant into valuable carbon Researchers in Scotland and Cuba are ridding the Caribbean nation of a major ecological problem while producing one of the world’s most sought after substances. Read more 16-1-2012 || IDB Approves $30 Million for Regional Green Energy Fund Renewable energy projects including wind, solar, small hydropower and geothermal in Latin America and the Caribbean will get a boost in the form of loans worth around $30 million from the Inter-American Development Bank. Read more Covershot Image Source: http://www. dominica-cottages.com/ One of the solar panel arrays with hybrid clothes drier in the background at Dominica Cottages.

REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS, EXPRESSIONS OF INTERESTS & INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES: EOI: Support To The Caribbean Sustainable Energy Road MapCONSULTING SERVICES|| February 10, 2012 Request for Applications (RFA): Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA)/ Caribbean Region Climate Adaptation (CRCA) Partnership Initiative Deadline: February 22, 2012 International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Call for Applications Fulbright Regional Network For Applied Research (NEXUS) Program Application Instruction

CIPORE PLATINUM SPONSOR:

SCAN ME AND LOG ON!

16-1-2012 || Grenada’s Participation at the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Second Assembly Grenada was represented at the 2nd Session of the Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates from January 14-15, 2012 by Dr. Hugh Sealy, Energy and Sustainable Development Advisor, Ministry of Finance, Planning, Economy, Energy & Cooperatives. Read more 13-1-2012 ||Helping the USVI Cut Fuel Use with Renewables The U.S. Virgin Islands are a great place to visit, but you wouldn’t want to pay energy bills there. The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has set a goal of reducing use of fossil fuels by 60 percent in the next 15 years.. Read more 13-1-2012 || Central Cuba Advances in Obtaining Renewable Energy At least 16 physical, chemical and microbiological tests to obtain energy from agricultural and livestock, industrial and forest waste are being carried out in the Center of Biogas and Environmental Engineering in this Central province. Read more 11-1-2012 ||Bright new venture for Norfolk entrepreneur in the Caribbean The first area to be identified for change was street and security lighting, which account for one of the largest consumptions of grid electricity in the islands. To this end, Kestrel Renewables developed a lighting system that does not consume any main electricity and produces all its power from the wind and the sun – two elements always constant in the Caribbean. Read more 10-1-2012 || St. Kitts-Nevis Moves Closer to Green Energy Goals The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis has taken a step forward towards realizing its policy of achieving 60% energy generation from green energy sources by 2015. Read more 10-1-2012 ||Bahamas has “incredible opportunity” to diversify its economy through RE The Bahamas’ renewable energy export potential, given its proximity to the US, the world’s largest energy consumer with 25 per cent of the global market, offers incredible opportunity. Read more 6-1-2012 || British Virgin Islands Must “Keep Pace” on Renewable Energy: Minister Green energy is a priority for the British Virgin Island’s government, according to Minister for Communications and Works Mark Vanterpool.

Read more 4-1-2012 ||Digicel Jamaica’s Alternative Energy Future – Increased Electricity Bills and Energy Sector Opportunities Collide In his speech Digicel CEO Mark Linehan mentioned the following bits of information about the new Solar and Wind powered Digicel headquarters, quote: “This development will span a total area of 211,500 square feet and will make use of solar power, solar cooling and wind power. The building will feature four wind turbines on the roof of the 11-storey tower, and 15,000 square feet of Solar Panels and Solar glass on the roofs of all three Buildings.” Read more

Content Administrator, CIPORE Caribbean Energy Information System (CEIS), Scientific Research Council (SRC), Hope Gardens, Kingston 6, Jamaica W.I. 876-927-1779(w) | 876-977-1840(f) | ceis@src-jamaica.org www.ceis-caribenergy.org www.src-jamaica.org CEIS manages the Caribbean Information Platform on Renewable Energy (CIPORE) www.cipore.org If you would like to receive past issues of the CIPORE News Review that you missed, just email us at ceis@src-jamaica.org We greatly appreciate any and all feedback in an effort to serve you better!

1-1-2012 || Haiti Gets Grant for Hydroelectric Power The Inter-American Development Bank has approved a $20 million grant to complete and supplement financing needed to refurbish Haiti’s Peligre hydroelectric plant, the largest green energy facility in the country. Read more 1-1-2012 ||Cuba to use sugar cane in new electricity plant A sugar cane harvester at work in Calimete, Matanzas province. Cuba will open its first electricity plant using sugar cane as a biofuel hoping eventually to meet 30 percent of its energy needs from the fuel source.

Read more

Preview February 2012 2-2-2012 || European Investment Bank backs Caribbean geothermal energy scheme The European Investment Bank, the European Union’s long-term lending institution, will provide a EUR 1.1 million grant to enhance detailed planning and study the feasibility of exporting electricity generated by geothermal energy from Dominica to neighbouring islands Martinique and Guadeloupe. Read more 3-2-2012 ||Dutch to provide Saba, Statia US$500,000 for green energy The Dutch government, in consultation with the local island governments, has decided to focus on geothermal energy and wind turbines in St. Eustatius and Saba. Read more 6-2-2012 || Barbados Agrofest organisers get thumbs up for renewable energy theme The national agricultural exhibition, which takes place at Queen’s Park and the Weymouth B grounds from Friday, February 24 to Sunday, February 26, will for the first time, allow patrons to witness a demonstration of a solar-powered hydroponic system which, according to Burke, coincides with the Agrofest 2012 theme, displaying the fusion between the agriculture and renewable energy industries. Read more

See CIPORE FOR MORE: WWW.CIPORE.ORG Directory- Register with CIPORE at www.cipore.org and join our Directories for Professionals in RE, Private Sector, Hotels Utilizing RE…etc Post your job vacancies on CIPORE Need added exposure, post photos or your RE projects on CIPORE in our photo galleries View our RE Projects Database with hundreds of projects across the region Upload your RE project video to YouTube and send us the link- we will post it up and increase your exposure through showcase in our video gallery in our Demo Centre And more….. Don’t take our word for it, go to www.cipore.org Join us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Subscribe to our RSS Feed!

JANUARY 2012 IN REVIEW

BE IN THE KNOW ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY, ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE LATEST BLOG POSTS 1-2-2012 || World Bank Online Course on Clean Development Mechanism and Joint Implementation 16-1-2012 || Seminars to Highlight Energy Efficiency in Building Codes

SCAN ME AND LOG ON!

23-1-2012 ||Climate Action Line of Credit from EIB to CDB The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) is to receive a Climate Action Line of Credit equivalent to EUR50 million, or approximately USD 65.3 million, from the European Investment Bank (EIB). Read more 14-1-2012 ||Stirring Jamaican entrepreneurship towards carbon trading Climate change has created an imperative to transition our global society towards low carbon economies to help lessen its imminent impacts. These economies would foster less dependence on fossil fuels and embed practices across all sectors that would mitigate the release of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions into the atmosphere. Read more 13-1-2012 ||St. Kitts sea turtles to benefit from Environment Fund St. Kitts is among three Caribbean islands that will get a new year’s gift from CIBC FirstCaribbean in the form of support for endangered environmental projects in their different island communities. Read more 9-1-2012 ||Two Caribbean countries among the top 10 ethical destinations in the developing world Two Caribbean countries, Dominica and The Bahamas, have made the 2012 Ethical Traveler’s list of the developing world’s 10 best ethical destinations. One of the criteria for evaluating ethical destinations was that of environmental protection. Read more

EVENTS CALENDAR World Bank Online Course on Clean Development Mechanism and Joint Implementation February 1-28, 2012 OECS – Two Days Workshop on Carbon Financing February 15-16, 2012 2012 Metering and Smart Grids Caribbean February 22-24, 2012 5th International Conference 2012 entitled Sustainable Development: Linking Industry and Environment April 19-21, 2012 Developing Resources for Sustainability Energy Conference 2012 June 11-13, 2012

High Energy Costs Affecting Businesses: The MSME’s Perspective

Presentation by Prof. Rosalea Hamilton, Scotiabank Chair, Entrepreneurship and Development, UTech President, The MSME Alliance during CARICOM Energy Week 2011 in Jamaica.

9-1-2012 ||CIBC FirstCaribbean Bank supports Caribbean Conservation Three Caribbean islands will get a new year’s gift from CIBC FirstCaribbean in the form of support for endangered environmental projects in their different island communities. Read more 9-1-2012 || Trinidadian environmentalist honoured for his work to enhance local biodiversity Prominent environmentalist Bertram Manhin was honoured by the non-governmental organisation Citizens for a Better Trinidad and Tobago (CBTT) with an International Year of Forests Award for his contribution towards preserving and enhancing the biodiversity of plants in T&T. The presentation function took place at his La Vega Estate home in Gran Couva, south Trinidad. Read more 6-1-2012 || Three ideas that are good for both economy and environment As we enter a new year, the world continues to be in the grips of dual crises: a stubborn economic downturn with widespread job losses combined with accelerating global warming threatening vulnerable communities. Read more 6-1-2012 ||China set to boycott EU carbon tax China plans to boycott a new European Union tax on airline carbon emissions, becoming the latest in a line of countries to challenge the law. China’s largest carriers say the tax will cost them too much but the EU says fines for non-compliance will be even steeper. Read more 5-1-2012 ||China to tax carbon emissions by 2015 China looks set to impose a direct tax on its largest greenhouse gas emitters by 2015, according to reports in state media. Read more 2-1-2012 ||Pakistan fumes over UN carbon credits to India Pakistan plans to challenge a decision of an UN agency to grant carbon credits to India on a hydropower project. According to Pakistani officials, India secured the carbon credits for its 45-MW NimooBazgo project without mandatory environmental impact assessment clearance from Pakistan. Read more 2-1-2012 ||Lufthansa Carbon Trading to Cost 130 Million Euros in 2012 Deutsche Lufthansa AG, Europe’s second-biggest airline, said European Union emissions-trading expenses will add 130 million euros ($168 million) to costs in 2012, prompting the carrier to raise ticket prices.

Read more

About CEEBIP This EU funded project initiates an alliance between the Private Sector Organization of Jamaica and the Caribbean Association of Industry and Commerce in Trinidad and Tobago.

The objective of the project is to build private sector capacity in environmental and energy management in order to promote a successful regional and national collaborative approach to efficient energy consumption and reduce environmental impacts.

Vestas bringing the best wind energy solution to the Caribbean.

Vestas is the only global energy company dedicated exclusively to wind energy – striving for business case certainty and the reduction of the cost of energy for our customers.

Vestas works in close partnership with customers to offer the most effective solutions towards energy independence.

To date, we have installed over 44,000 wind turbines in around 70 countries on six continents. Our core business is the development, manufacture, sale and maintenance of wind power plants – with competencies that cover every aspect of the value chain from site studies to service and maintenance.

Our vision is to establish wind power on a par with existing energy sources such as oil and gas.

For more on how our relentless commitment to wind energy can help you, visit vestas.com

10919_Ad_Caribbean_UK.indd 1

19-08-2011 15:56:40