Is 2019 a watershed year for the Caribbean? We think it is. Join us at CREF as our speakers deliver a roadmap for a Caribbean grid which is modern, clean, resilient and economic.
Critical themes covered in the 2019 agenda:
Caribbean across the finish line? Across islands and technologies, we’re seeing a big uptick in the financing and construction of world-class projects. Where are the success stories and what’s next?
The brave new world of the Caribbean utility. Grappling with decentralized grids, resilience, the role of regulators, the new energy mix – and new paths to profitability
Which islands are leading the charge for increased grid resiliency, and how? What are the solutions, who are the innovators, and who are the funders?
What does the Caribbean electric grid of the future look like? The region is adopting and implementing tomorrow’s technologies today. What are we learning?
Are we ready for e-mobility?
Will blended finance mobilize investment in clean energy? What trends are driving the financing of the region’s energy projects?
Where are this year’s breakthrough markets? Exploring opportunities in the DR, Trinidad, Bahamas, Cayman – and more.
Plus: Caribbean heads of state share their vision for clean energy in the island economy.
Hosted by The Inter-American Dialogue and New Energy Events, with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Organization of American States (OAS)
We are excited to announce a stakeholder workshop at CREF 2019 designed to accelerate investment in e-mobility across the Caribbean.
Government of Bermuda Director of Energy, Telecommunications, Space and Satellite
Island Resiliency Action Challenge
This unique, hands-on workshop will continue the critical work already underway from last year’s Action Challenge held at CREF 2018.
Island stakeholders will collaboratively triage the most pressing challenges facing the region, brainstorm and pitch solutions, and work to find consensus on an immediate action plan for one breakthrough resolution.
Advanced Energy Group LLC Founder and CEO Moderator
CREF 2019 Kickoff ~ Networking Cocktail Reception
CREF Sunrise Fun Run
Calling all early risers and runners, get the #CREFenergy flowing with our Sunrise Fun Run. Meet in the hotel lobby at 6:30am sharp for an informal guided 5K run around Brickell Key. Sign up here!
The competitiveness of the Caribbean is closely correlated to the long-term security of its energy supply. Planning and implementing for that future needs to take place at a national level and with a robust understanding of the implications of energy policymaking for fiscal stability, job creation, economic independence, and other critical factors. The region’s most prominent policymakers will open CREF 2019 proceedings with a profound and interactive conversation on the broader context for energy transition in the Caribbean.
Inter-American Development Bank General Manager, Country Department Caribbean GroupModerator
The Regulators & the Utilities: The Critical Relationship
Out with the old, in with the new. New technologies and new challenges are forcing utilities to re-think their business models and regulators to re-think the way in which regional energy markets are structured. In this session, utility CEOs and the region’s leading regulators will discuss the new reality and how to map a course to a modern energy market.
Who, ultimately, should pay for investment in new grid infrastructure? How are regulators framing this through rate design?
Are utilities exploring opportunities in the “energy as a service” approach? What is the role of the regulator?
Where can we point to the emergence of a robust regulatory environment which supports a robust utility — and investment in clean and resilient sources of energy?
How are regulators managing for the emergence of new technologies (e.g., energy storage)?
Government of the Bahamas Minister of Environment & Housing
Mapping Progress: Across the Finish Line
This interactive data-driven session will feature the presentation of the 2019 CREF-Castalia Renewable Energy Index, which ranks countries on investability in clean energy. The findings of the Index will be juxtaposed against Pan American Finance’s proprietary dataset. CREF delegates will also have access to the Marketplace, a database of projects in various stages of development.
Are islands making meaningful progress towards their renewable energy targets? Where are we falling short and what needs to change?
How do we explain the relative paucity of deal-flow and transactions in the past 12 months?
What are the standout projects of the past 12 months?
Which markets are tendering and what is the status of various RFPs in the region (e.g., Jamaica, Trinidad)
Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Energy SpecialistModerator
Lunch
Announcing the 2019 CREF Industry Awards
The 3rd annual CREF Industry Awards will recognize excellence in clean energy innovation and project execution across the region. More information.
Bermuda: From Ambitious IRP to 85% Renewables?
Bermuda recently announced an ambitious IRP which would see 85% renewables on the grid by 2035 — more than double the Electricity Policy target of 38% renewables. Gathering a Bermuda A-List of stakeholders, panelists will address the following:
How viable is the IRP and what is the roadmap to get there?
Which resources have been identified as priorities?
What opportunities are there for international investment?
Financing Clean and Resilient Islands: What's the Bottom Line?
How will the Caribbean underwrite the price tag for a new generation of resilient infrastructure?
• How does the need for resiliency translate into development costs for developers active in the region?
• How is that impacting project pricing and bankability?
• How can and should the multilaterals support the financing of resilient projects?
• How can policymakers and regulators incentivize the construction of resilient and bankable projects?
• Where can we point to projects that tick the box — i.e., which have made it to the financing finish line and which are built to high resiliency standards?
Jamaica’s Paradise Park: Lessons Learned from the Region’s Lowest PPA
After three years, and at a record-breaking PPA price, Jamaica’s 37 MW solar PV project is online. All eyes have been on this project to see if it was achievable at the price. Now we know: it is. But, it didn’t come without challenges.
Is it replicable, particularly for islands that face land-use conflicts? Are there lessons to be learned from a procurement and pricing perspective? Was it possible to build the project, at the bid price, without cutting corners? With hindsight, what would the developer do differently?
Is blockchain a breakthrough technology poised to change the energy landscape, or is it just hype?
For the Caribbean, what does the critical path look like for establishing use cases? For all the opportunities it can bring, including increased transparency and improved market efficiency, is it practical? What can we glean from use cases elsewhere, e.g. enhanced trading for the U.S. REC market?
Energy Storage: Lessons Learned from the Early Adopters
Across markets as diverse as Jamaica, Statia, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, energy storage projects are seeing the light of day. Storage is the new normal. Time to take stock.
How would the early adopters and developers do things differently? Analyzing the success criteria and lessons learned from the first wave of projects in the Caribbean
As we consider the implications of the proposed project in St. Kitts, can solar and storage compete with mainstream sources of baseload?
Are regulatory regimes across the region keeping up with storage? How?
For facilities with critical power needs (i.e., medical centers, data centers), what role can and should storage play?
Marine renewables have lived on the margins of discussions about energy diversification in the Caribbean. Questions over the readiness of various technologies and challenges in terms of project execution and financing have hindered progress. In some quarters, however, there’s an increasing sense that technology is maturing and there’s renewed interest in exploring off-shore options. In a session co-hosted by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), panelists will discuss:
- In an era of solar and storage and LNG, are offshore options able to compete in terms of price and ease of execution?
- What are the key findings of offshore feasibility studies in, for example, Jamaica?
- What's the status of the Naval Energies Martinique project?
- What support exists for marine renewables among the multilaterals?
- How do various technologies measure up in terms of pricing and competitiveness?
- What regulatory lessons can we learn from the US experience of developing energy offshore?
Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) Head (ag.), Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency UnitModerator
Refreshments & Networking Break
Dominica & St. Vincent: Different Paths to the Geothermal Finish Line
Two projects are pulling ahead in the regional geothermal race, albeit with two very different models. Key stakeholders representing Dominica’s and Saint Vincent’s projects will provide an update on each, an overview of the journey so far, and a roadmap to make it over the finish line.
How do the two approaches differ and what can we learn?
Who is financing each project, and on what terms?
How has each project leveraged public, private and multilateral resources?
How did Dominica and St. Vincent get over the exploratory phase risk and financing hump?
How did the 2017 hurricane season impact project development?
Clinton Climate Initiative | Clinton Foundation Renewable Energy ConsultantModerator
Marketwatch: Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic has ambitious renewable energy targets. The market is moving, with multiple wind and solar farms commissioned in the past year. Despite the growth, significant challenges remain for the next phase of market growth. Panelists will discuss current market conditions and the outlook for investment and development.
• Who were the winners from the tender for the next phase of utility-scale projects? What are the implications for investment in generation?
• Where do the biggest challenges lie? Regulation & policy? Infrastructure? Bankability of projects?
• How robust are opportunities for C&I? What are the hurdles?
• Is WTE back on the cards? What other technologies (e.g., offshore wind) have potential?
• Who is financing projects in the DR and on what terms?
PFAN Regional Coordinator for Caribbean and Central AmericaModerator
Power Shift: Caribbean Utility as Energy Service Provider
In the switch to clean and efficient grids, is it possible to lower costs for end-use customers, while preserving utility revenue? In this session, panelists will share findings from the ongoing regional programs, including the IUS pilot program, and explore its efficacy and future in the region.
Is the IUS model poised to capture the lowest hanging fruit of energy efficiency?
How are utilities thinking about moving beyond kWh providers, into energy service providers? What are the current opportunities and challenges for the Caribbean?
What advantages exist for utilities? For the end-user? For developers?
What are the lessons learned from the three IUS island pilot programs? What are the risks and challenges of this kind of approach?
Puerto Rico’s new energy policy and its ambitious new RPS has been greeted with fanfare. Beyond the hype, how realistic is the new RPS in light of entrenched interests, and in view of the bondholders' quiet, but substantial, influence over the energy sector?
• How does natural gas play with the new RPS?
• Residential solar is taking off; what of C&I?
• Has the island made progress towards a more resilient grid since Maria?
• How is the political environment shaping investment in renewables?
Institute of Competitiveness and Sustainable Economy (ICSE-PR) Executive DirectorModerator
Networking Cocktail Reception
CREF Women in Energy Networking Breakfast
CLOSED SESSION
Women bring critical expertise to the energy sector, but they remain underrepresented. How can the Caribbean region encourage the advancement of women across the industry?
Join the conversation – more information and registration here.
Exclusive sponsor:
Registration & Coffee
Opening Remarks from USAID: Caribbean Energy Initiative
USAID Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean Deputy Assistant Administrator
The Balancing Act: Jamaica’s Renewable Grid “Live”!
As JPS integrates more renewables and storage onto Jamaica’s grid, how is it impacting grid performance and reliability?
In a first for CREF, Jamaica’s utility, JPS, will present a real-time grid visualization to demonstrate how it is managing issues around the integration of intermittents.
JPS executives will also share their perspectives on Jamaica’s 50% renewable goal and the 2019 IRP.
Jamaica Public Service Company Ltd (JPS) Director of Engineering
Grid Investment & RFQs in Haiti: What do Investors Need to Know?
A recent spate of RFQs for grid management and generation have thrown the spotlight on opportunities for investment in Haiti.
With what appears to be an emphasis on LNG and solar, what do international investors and developers need to know about the current environment for development and investment? How robust is the regulatory market? What financing is available for projects? Is concessional funding available? Has the tide turned and is Haiti ready to welcome mainstream investors?
USAID Office of Infrastructure, Engineering and Energy, Haiti Deputy DirectorModerator
E-Mobility: What’s it Going to Take?
We all know that electric vehicles are a great fit for the Caribbean, but markets are still in the early stages of development. So what will it take and what is the tipping point?
How can policymakers, utilities, and the private sector align to mobilize investment?
What will the roll-out for EVs in Bermuda, Jamaica, and other islands look like, and what will it mean for the region?
How are manufacturers engaging with key stakeholders to drive market growth?
What can we learn from islands leading the way?
Also: key findings/outcomes of the inaugural E-Mobility Roadmap Workshop
A multi-stakeholder session will tackle the critical issues impacting the scaling up of solar in the Caribbean.
• What can the region do to make itself more attractive to developers? Can aggregation make the region more scalable? What tools do we have to improve bankability?
• What were the success criteria for the bigger projects in the region (e.g., Content Solar)?
• How do utilities view solar vs. other sources of renewables? What makes sense from a utility perspective — IPPs vs. utility owned and operated?
• As governments mandate ambitious energy targets, how does solar fit into the picture? Are governments carving out a path for solar to come into view?
• What are the limits to utility scale on islands?
Rocky Mountain Institute Director of Projects - Islands Energy ProgramModerator
Refreshments & Networking Break
The Resilient Island Playbook: What We’ve Learned Since 2017
Two years since the destructive 2017 hurricane season, and in the wake of Dorian, has the clarion call for grid resiliency translated into meaningful progress? Are regional grids more resilient?
How, if at all, has the call for resiliency impacted project development in the region?
How has the call for resiliency impacted investment in generation and T&D?
Does any infrastructure stand a chance against a Cat 5 and should that calculus impact decisions around investment?
What role are the donors/multilaterals playing in the financing of resilience? What programs are currently available to the region?
How are regulators approaching resiliency? Do we need to accept that resiliency comes with a price tag and that ultimately consumers will have to pay?
Is the bid for resiliency shaping discussions on domestic vs. imported sources of generation (e.g., solar vs. LNG)?
Blended finance is the talk of the town, but how is it different to previous structures and why does it matter in the Caribbean context?
• What types of projects are suited for blended finance? Are there regional success stories we can point to?
• Which financial counterparties are at the table and which entities are leading the charge?
• Can and should blended finance deals incorporate gender equality and be a driver for women-led enterprises?
• Does a blended finance approach have an impact on bankability? How (if at all) should developers modify their approach to financiers?
Trinidad, the Oil Giant: Will Renewables Make Headway?
Known as the largest oil producer in the Caribbean, Trinidad is making a move towards renewables, aiming to have 10% of the grid supplied with clean energy by 2021, under the Paris Agreement. Is this achievable, and what steps are necessary to reach this goal?
How is the government thinking about the pursuit of oil development as it relates to clean energy development?
How did the recent RFP perform, and when can the market expect more opportunities?
What’s the latest on renewable energy regulations?
How will the country tackle energy waste and improve energy efficiency?
Ministry of Energy & Energy Industries, Government of Trinidad and Tobago Head, Renewable Energy (RE) Division; ECPA National Focal Point (NFP), and Vice-Chair, Reconstituted Permanent Local Content Committee (PLCC)
Caribbean Renewable Energy Forum (CREF) ChairmanModerator
Global Island Exchange: Clean & Resilient Grids Beyond the Caribbean
Island grid operators and policy-makers world-wide are facing down similar challenges. Against a backdrop of rapidly evolving technologies, and rapidly changing weather patterns, how do we finance and develop generation that is reliable, resilient, and economic? From the implementation of energy storage to the development of resilient grid infrastructure, this session will explore standout global island approaches and projects and gauge the extent to which we can apply those solutions in the Caribbean context.
IRENA Programme Officer - RE Project Development and FinanceModerator
Lunch
St. Kitts: Big Ambitions for Solar & Storage
The region is digesting the news that St. Kitts plans to build a large-scale solar and storage project comprising 35 MW of solar and a 44 MWh storage facility. If the project comes to fruition it will have the ability to power 30% of the island.
What is the backstory to the project and what drove the decision to pursue solar and storage? What do the economics look like and how will the project be financed? How does this project impact the prospects for geothermal on both St. Kitts and Nevis?
A refinery in Martinique is using its by-product to create electricity using a hydrogen fuel cell. How is the project contributing to Martinique's clean energy goals, and where do HFCs fit into the energy mix across the Caribbean?
Firm Power: Finding a New Baseload for the Caribbean
In the hunt for energy security, several Caribbean nations — among them Jamaica, Barbados and the Bahamas — have committed to natural gas. As other sources of baseload (geothermal, marine, solar and storage) come online, what does the competitive landscape look like and what is driving regional decision-making?
In a fiercely competitive market, what can we learn from the recent utility experience of procuring baseload?
How critical is the issue of energy independence (e.g., imported vs. domestic sources of generation)?
How is resilience shaping discussions around the procurement of baseload?
For islands not pursuing natural gas options, how are they tackling their baseload energy needs?
Is investment in natural gas complementing or hindering investment in renewables?
Advanced Energy Group LLC Founder and CEO Moderator
The C&I Showcase: Jumpstarting the Regional Market
Excitement surrounds the prospects for C&I in the Caribbean but the market is yet to take off. In this discussion, developers and off-takers showcase projects that have worked and explore what's needed to translate the hype into reality.
• What are the market pain-points and what support is needed from regulators, financiers & policymakers to scale up?
• Can a vibrant C&I market sit alongside a competitive and profitable utility? How are regulators across the region addressing the issue?
• From an investor/developer perspective, which markets in the region are most attractive (i.e., best supported by policy and regulation)?
• What are lessons learned and key takeaways from the World Bank-funded C&I pilot project in the East Caribbean?
Digitization, globalization, distributed energy, AI, and blockchain are just some of the big disruptors poised to change the energy sector as we know it today. Is the Caribbean ready?
In this fast-paced interactive session, rising stars will explore what disruption really means, and how it can drive transformation.
How will technology, finance and a new breed of climate-savvy leaders shape the future of the region?
What structural changes will be necessary to drive adaptation in the energy sector?
Does the region need to invest more in human capital to fully capitalize on technological advances?
How can the region best prepare itself now for the rapid transformation that will follow?
The 3rd annual CREF Industry Awards will recognize excellence in clean energy innovation and project execution across the region. More information.
