OECS Solar Dialogue Highlights the Significance of Decentralised Renewable Energy to Reach Climate Goals

Industry experts brought deep insights on the role of decentralised renewable energy (DRE) in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Eastern Caribbean, as well as for an enabling environment for DRE solutions to thrive in the region, during a dialogue organised by the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), the Eastern Caribbean Solar Challenge, and the Alliance for Rural Electrification (ARE).

The dialogue held recently on Advancing Policy & Mobilising Investment: The Eastern Caribbean Solar Challenge.

The event was supported by the Caribbean NDC Finance Initiative (NDCFI), the GIZ, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and GET.invest, a European programme that mobilises investments in DRE, supported by the European Union, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Austria.

The dialogue demonstrated that DRE technologies were fundamental in harnessing the vast renewable energy potential, delivering vast socio-economic benefits and increasing energy autonomy and diversification in the Eastern Caribbean, thereby reducing energy prices and dependency on fossil fuels. DRE solutions are also key to support regional governments achieve their climate change ambitions and boost their resilience against extreme weather events.

Commenting on the development, Bogdan Stefanescu, Team Leader of Delegation of the European Union to Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean States, the OECS and CARICOM /CARIFORUM stated that, “our engagement with the region has shown that clean renewable energy, under its many forms, is a priority for both the Caribbean and the European Union. Thus, we will be happy to engage in discussions under our Green Deal Partnership – to find areas, means and instruments to further collaborating in reaching, and going beyond the energy objectives set by the Paris Agreement.”

Devon Gardner, Head of the Energy Unit at the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat underlined that, “the high solar potential within the Eastern Caribbean States offers clear and present opportunities for integration into the power, heating and cooling sectors. The Eastern Caribbean Solar Challenge provides a platform for innovative approaches that address the fundamental challenges of security in energy supplies and pricing across a range of key economic and social sectors, critical to our sustainable development, whilst improving the contribution of the region to climate abatement.”

“We are honoured to be the co-organiser of the OECS Solar Dialogue alongside regional partners on concretely advancing policy and mobilising investment in the Eastern Caribbean region while supporting domestic businesses, national associations and governments in their efforts to achieve SDGs by 2030. We must build on the fruitful discussions to ignite massive and rapid deployment of DRE across the Eastern Caribbean,” said David Lecoque, CEO of ARE.