Sustainable energy will power the Caribbean’s resilient future — report
Distributed energy resources can generate job opportunities
Harnessing the wind, solar, and geothermal energy that are abundant in the Caribbean can lead to “near-term job opportunities with lasting impacts,” according to a recent report of the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI).
The research report comes as a timely guide to local governments as the region grapples with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, with some islands still recovering from the previous destruction of powerful hurricanes, and are now bracing themselves for the dreaded hurricane season.
The institute, which specializes in energy conservation, suggested that governments of the Caribbean nations should direct their stimulus efforts on the energy sector opportunities, as well as adopt energy-efficiency measures, such as integrating electric vehicles.
The high unemployment rates caused by the pandemic can be slowly addressed when authorities turn to the renewable energy sector, as well as indirectly in associated industries. Such jobs include, but not limited to: project managers, electricians, civil engineers, electrical and mechanical engineers, plumbers, machinists, heavy equipment operators, technicians, metal workers, general construction workers, designers and salespeople.
There are also community-level job opportunities that can be provided through investing in initial energy access for those communities that do not yet enjoy reliable electricity.
Investing in renewable energy can also be helpful to the agriculture sector in the region. Such can help improve farmers’ yields, minimize crop wastage through enhanced access to refrigeration in newly electrified communities. It will also encourage profitability, enhance increased business expansion, create new jobs, and in some cases enable expansion to new markets.
Most importantly, RMI stressed in their report that the countries that will benefit the most in this endeavor are those that still have low rates hen it comes to access to electricity.
Some Caribbean communities still struggle with access to electricity
While most Caribbean countries have reached full electricity access, or have reached more than 90% electrification, some communities remain without access to electricity, particularly those located in remote or rural areas, and in some cases with predominantly indigenous populations.
One country is Haiti. With a population of more than 11 million people, it remains the only country in the Western Hemisphere with the lowest access to electricity. The country’s grid infrastructure is inefficient and overwhelmed and, like other countries in the region, Haiti is heavily dependent on imported fuel for power generation.
Funds aligned to support more rapid progress on electrification in Haiti will be critical to helping it address its many power needs and support progress across many of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Other Caribbean countries that still are not fully electrified include Belize, with an electrification rate of 99% and Guyana, which has a current electrification rate of 91%.
