Government exploring renewable energy

Nov 13, 2009 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Cayman Net News - Grand Cayman - Cayman Islands

The Cayman Islands government will pursue renewable energy as a means of diversifying the Islands' generating sources, reducing energy bills, and minimizing impact on the environment.

"The government is keen on pushing forward a greener more environmentally-friendly Cayman that uses renewable energy more widely," notes Deputy Premier and Minister of District Administration, Works and Gender Affairs, the Hon. Juliana O'Connor-Connolly.

Against this background, the Minister recently led a team to the Caribbean Renewable Energy Forum held in Montego Bay, Jamaica (14-16 October).

The team included West Bay MLA Cline Glidden, Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary Tristan Hydes and Managing Director of the ERA Philip Thomas.

The Caribbean Renewable Energy Forum was designed to impel renewable energy implementation across the region.

Among its objectives were to define the regional energy market; pinpoint the bottlenecks in legislation, tariffs, technology, political will and finance and work towards solutions; introduce world class renewable energy technology to the Caribbean, and facilitate long term local and international investment in regional sustainable energy projects.

The forum also was aimed at exploring and encouraging energy conservation strategies across the region.

Minister O'Connor-Connolly said that the team attended the conference to gain greater insight into alternative energy sources including waste-to-energy, solar and wind technology.

She cited some priority areas that would promote the use of renewable energy in the Islands. These included promoting solar energy and net metering of local homes, waste-to-energy measures, and hybrid electric cars.

"These technologies will allow Cayman to become more independent of the inevitable escalating oil prices while promoting cleaner, sustainable energy generation and more jobs for locals in a diversified industry," said Minister O'Connor-Connolly.