Barbados wins two CREF Industry Awards

Barbados has copped two awards at the recently held Caribbean Renewable Energy Forum’s (CREF) Industry Awards.

The awards are for Best Energy Efficiency Project for theEnergy Efficient Retrofit of Public Streetlights, and Best E-Mobility Project for the Introduction of Electric Mobility into Public Transportation, at the Transport Board.

New Energy Events, hosts of CREF, the largest annual gathering of the regional energy market, announced the 12 winners of its fourth annual CREF Industry Awards during the meeting, which was held from April 26 to 28, in Miami. The awards recognise excellence in the people, projects and programmes driving the clean energy transition in the Caribbean.

Programme Manager at the Ministry of Energy and Business Development’s Project Execution Unit, Keisha Reid, and Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, Claire Best, accepted the awards on behalf of the Government.

Ms. Reid told the Barbados Government Information Service that she was pleased the country’s clean energy efforts were being recognised and rewarded.

“This award acknowledges the hard work of the stakeholders in the energy sector, and impels them to continue working to ensure Government’s initiatives are implemented, as they are timely and will benefit citizens and the country.

“The Best Energy Efficiency Project is the second award the Project Execution Unit has received, and it really is a fine example of the beneficial results that obtain when there is collaboration with the public and private sectors,” she stated.

Ms. Reid thanked the Barbados Light and Power Company and the Ministry of Transport and Works for their work on the project, saying it was a “critical partnership”.

“With strategic partnership and alignment of goals, we were able to successfully complete the project last year and even surpass our own target,” she shared.

A press release from New Energy Events explained that “the awards were established to recognise those leaders in the Caribbean energy sector who are making a lasting impact on the development of resilient and renewable energy systems in the region.

“Many award winners are first-movers, carving a path for project development in the region.  Others have been in the region for years and understand the nuances and needs of island nations pursuing a clean energy future,” the press release stated.

The other winners of the CREF 2022 Industry Awards are:

•  2021-22 Caribbean Energy Leader MVP: Deputy Premier Walter Roban, Government of Bermuda
• Best Distributed Generation Project:1 MW Solar and Storage Project, Montserrat Utilities Limited and Government of Montserrat
• Best Energy Storage Project: Chub Cay Microgrid by Compass Solar Systems Limited, Bahamas
• Best ESG Project: Cossma Yabucoa Clinic, Puerto Rico, Elum Energy & Pura Energia
• Best Green Hydrogen Project: CEOG by HDF ENERGY, French Guiana
• Best Microgrid Project: Highbourne Cay PV Microgrid by Bahamas Energy and Solar Supplies & Solar Island Energy, Bahamas
• Best Renewable Energy Financing: CIBC FirstCaribbean (BGIS)