Trinidad & Tobago has finally committed to a target for the generation of renewable energy. Concern over dwindling reserves has prompted the government to set a goal to meet 10% of its energy demands from alternative sources by 2021. Energy Minister Nicole Olivierre admitted that although it may sound insignificant, the production of 10% sustainable energy is in fact a major step for the Caribbean country well-known as an oil producer and which currently has no renewable source added to the mix used by the national grid. The minister acknowledged that previous conversations on sustainable energy have not resulted in concrete plans; however, the target will create a platform to identify parts of the Country “most suitable for wind energy and [that] would give us the maximum wind resources”. Locations along the Southeastern coast of Trinidad and Tobago are being considered for a study that will determine the potential for renewables generation. Speaking at the CARICOM Energy Week at the UTT Campus in Point Lisas on Monday, UTT President Professor Dyer Narinesingh said: “We depend on the environment for our very existence, the environment does not depend upon us to exist”.
To read more about Trinidad and Tobago’s renewable energy targets, click here.
