Four Part Plan for Renewable Energy in TCI says Minister Otis Morris

By Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

#TurksandCaicos, December 2, 2022 – Armed with €1.4 million to help them, the Turks and Caicos Islands government has a multi-component plan to turn the energy sector green in an effort to ‘create long-term and meaningful change within the energy sector and across public systems’.

Otis Morris, Minister of Home Affairs said with the help of  data collection, resilient energy projects, legislative and financial analysis, new energy efficiency standards as well as public education, technical training, hurricane resilient solar street lights installations and market studies the country could successfully reduce its use of fossil fuels over time.

In order to get to that point though ‘Transitioning Toward Green Energy in the Turks and Caicos Islands’, a plan with four components will be implemented:

Component one: is the implementation of catalytic pilots of energy projects.

Component two: involves the strengthening of applicable laws, regulations and policies related to the national energy transition strategy as well as the strengthening of energy efficiency market transitions

Component three: focuses on public awareness; including residents in increased national conversations, while providing knowledge and awareness surrounding sustainable energy and the TCI’s green energy transition.

Finally Component four: addresses improving institutional capacity building for energy transition and economic diversification.

The project was detailed on Tuesday in the presence of TCI government officials and representatives from the Caribbean Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) Resilience, Sustainable Energy and Marine Biodiversity Programme (RESEMBID) program, an EU scheme responsible for funding it.

RESEMBID Programme Director, Fabian McKinnon said: “The RESEMBID programme seeks to support the OCTs in their thrust to deliver resilient energy services to their respective local populations – which translate into increased capacity and competency of the people to utilize and maintain innovative technologies, whilst contributing to low carbon development locally and regionally. This project completely fits the bill and we are excited to see the evolution.”

McKinnon oversaw the turnover of the €1.4 million to the Turks and Caicos’ government to further this plan.