Energy efficiency upgrades saves Jamaican business $.5 million monthly

December 30, 2015

A food and household product distribution company is saving over a half million dollars monthly thanks to energy efficiency upgrades and a solar system. The electricity bill, which previously ran between $1 million and $800,000 per month is now $280,000. In addition to spraying the roof of its warehouse with foam and upgrading an out-dated […]

Gamesa to build four wind farms in Costa Rica

December 29, 2015

Gamesa and Iberdrola Ingenieria have signed a contract with Globeleq Mesoamerica Energy to build 80 MW of wind power in Costa Rica. The project will be broken up into four 20 MW wind farms. Gamesa will manufacture wind turbines and deliver them during Q2 of 2016. Iberdrola will manage the engineering, procurement and construction of […]

T &T experiences 15% job loss in energy sector in 2015

December 28, 2015

According to an article published by the Trinidad Express, Trindad and Tobago saw a 15% drop in energy jobs in 2015. The Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago reported a loss of 3,200 jobs during the first half of the year, 2800 of which were eliminated during the second quarter of the year. Additionally, the […]

Caribbean countries warned to look for alternative sources of oil post-PetroCaribe

December 27, 2015

The recent election of President Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela may disrupt the delicate balance of the PetroCaribe energy agreement. Maduro’s coalition announced that it is going to take the agreement under critical review. Tomas Guanipa, a deputy of the National Assembly said that Venezuela “cannot continue selling oil in 20 years when we are in need of […]

IDB issues loan for renewables in Honduras

December 26, 2015

The  Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has issues a US$40 million loan to the Honduran government for investment into further development and integration of renewables into the country’s energy mix, particularly solar PV. The Honduran power sector initiated a reform in 2014 with the aim of strengthening the institutional capacity and sectoral regulatory framework, and improving […]

Costa Rica boasts 99% renewable energy in 2015

December 23, 2015

This year, Costa Rica set an energy record. The Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) said in a statement that it achieved “99 per cent renewable electricity generation” and managed to power its grid on 100 percent renewable sources for 285 days. Hydropower is the dominant source of electricity generation in the small Central American country, […]

St. Kitts & Nevis Government expects renewable energy projects to take off in 2016

December 22, 2015

The government of St. Kitts and Nevis expect substantial job creation to result from a $610 million investment into geothermal and wind energy. Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Dr. Timothy Harris, said in a budget presentation: “We must see this alternative energy, this new industry, as providing new opportunities for employment, for new skills […]

How Will The COP21 Accord Affect Latin America?

December 20, 2015

Latin Americans are the most concerned about climate change, said a Pew Research Center Survey last spring. LatinOne spoke with Lisa Viscidi, Program Director for energy, climate and extractive industries at The Dialogue,  to ask her in what ways does the COP21 Paris accord affect Latin America. Viscidi said that although Latin American demand for […]

Geothermal development in Dominica delayed

December 18, 2015

The geothermal project in Dominica has been pushed-back but not abandoned, said Hon Minister for Energy, Ian Douglas, in a statement explaining that the government’s priority has shifted to find housing for those displaced by Tropical Storm Erika. The Minister assured that the storm has not in any way affected the project’s infrastructure and is […]