Barbados Today

A two-day energy conference starting Thursday will focus on galvanizing the urgent next steps to promote sustainable energy development in the Caribbean, says the president of the Barbados Renewable Energy Association (BREA).

Aidan Rogers said in an interview Tuesday the conference would aim to take sustainable energy development from “dreams to reality”.

The BREA president described the conference and exhibition as one to take “practical steps” in areas such as regulation, policy and investment. A key objective of the conference is identifying the measures which would lead Caribbean countries towards 100 per cent renewable economies.

The conference and exhibition is organized by BREA under the theme: Caribbean Sustainable Energy Independence: Making It Happen. The three principal sponsors are the Central Bank of Barbados, the Government of Barbados and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) with valuable support from the European Union (EU).

Among the featured exhibitors are Gold sponsors Williams Solar, Stantec Caribbean, Efficiency One and Barbados Light & Power Co. Ltd.

The conference kicks off Thursday with a featured address by Prime Minister of Barbados Freundel Stuart and a ministerial session which will speak to the theme Developing Energy Independence in the Caribbean. Minister with responsibility for energy and climate change in the Seychelles Didier Dogley; former prime minister of St Lucia Stephenson King who also has responsibility for energy and Senator Darcy Boyce, minister with responsibility for energy within the office of the prime minister of Barbados, will form the panel.

The role of civil society in energy development will receive special attention at the conference.

Student participation, at both primary and secondary levels, has been accommodated to include an exhibition of children’s energy projects. On the final day Friday after lunch the exhibition will be opened to all Barbadians and visitors.