Thomas - CREDP/GTZ

Thomas - CREDP/GTZ

Workshop to launch the:

Caribbean Sustainable Energy Program (CSEP)

October 9, 2008

Castries, St Lucia

Venue: Rex St Lucian Hotel

On October 9, 2009 the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (GS/OAS) officially launched theEuropean Commission funded Project[1]Increasing the Sustainability of the Energy Sector in the Caribbean through Improved Governance and Management.The working title for the project is Caribbean Sustainable Energy Program (CSEP). The CSEP is designedto accelerate the transition toward cleaner, more sustainable energy use in seven countries of the Caribbean. This workshop was held to launch the EU-CSEP program.

The workshop was held jointly with the GTZ-funded Caribbean Renewable Energy Development Programme Phase II (CREDP). A summary of the joint workshop proceedings has beenuploaded at

Participants in the meeting includedGovernment representatives from six countries,the European Commission Delegation to Barbados, CARICOM Secretariat, Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre, Caribbean Energy Information System, Environment & Sustainable Development Unit of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, CREDP representatives, Caribbean Development Bank (CDB),and Caribbean Electric Utility Service Corporation (CARILEC). The list of participants can be downloaded at

WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES

  • Present and review the project objectives, activities and timeline of the CSEP Project in the participating countries for discussion, collect inputs and feedback from participants, including the project's institutional partners: OAS, CARICOM and CARILEC;
  • Discuss the way forward for implementation of the near term activities;
  • Establish collaborative mechanisms to increase the knowledge and acceptance in RE/EE technologies within public and private sector. Emphasis will be placed on common areas of interest including resource assessments, technical assistance and transfer of technologies.

Welcome and Opening

The workshop was opened by Mr. Mark Lambrides, EU-CSEP Principal Project Manager, who welcomed participants and provided a background to the rationale for holding a joint EU-CSEP / GTZ-CREDP workshop. The objective of the joint meeting was tofacilitate an integrated framework for renewable energy investments in Caribbean countries and to ensure that these projects are well coordinated. He drew attention to the large number of related initiatives in the region and the limited resources, and stressed the need for streamlining; integration and capitalizing on synergies, and working together to maximize benefits and reduce costs.

Mr. Paul Mondesir (EU Representative (Barbados)welcomed participants on behalf of European Union, and noted that this workshop will institutionalize a forum for creating synergies and complementarities, since it is crucial sharing available information. He described that theEuropean Commission will launch a new request for proposals for new projects to be financed in 2009.

PRESENTATION

Overview of CSEP: Mark Lambrides

An overview of OAS portfolio of on-going RE/EE projects in the Caribbean Region was given to provide a broad conceptual context, following with a detailed overview of the CSEP. This presentation serves to discuss the objectives, activities and timeline of the CSEP in the participating countries; also it will assist to collect inputs and feedback from participants, including the project's institutional partners: OAS, CARICOM and CARILEC.

The CSEP will specifically address market conditions for the development and use of renewable energy and energy efficiency systems by mitigating the barriers to their implementation and use. In particular, actions will focus on improving energy sector governance and management in the Project countries. As market conditions are improved, sustainable energy projects will be identified and their development will be catalyzed by the Project team, in cooperation with the countries and private sector investors/developers.

A copy of the presentation offered by Mr. Lambrides may be downloaded at:

Discussion of CSEP: Workshop Participants

During and following the formal presentation, there was muchdiscussion regarding the programmatic, institutional, and financial aspects of the CSEP. A summary of this discussion follows:

CSEP Organizational Set Up: Meeting participants inquired about the proposed structure of the project, for implementation purposes. Mr. Lambrides explained that the CSEP would be managed by the OAS from its headquarters in Washington, and then beginning in year two, in partnership with a local regional coordination unit (RCU) to be established in the offices of CARILEC in St. Lucia.

With regard to the governance of the project questions were raised regarding a possible management committee. Mr. Lambrides suggested that there will be established a project steering committee (PSC) that will include representatives from each of the participating countries:

  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Dominica
  • Bahamas
  • Grenada
  • St. Kitts and Nevis
  • St. Lucia
  • St. Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Barbados (Observer)

The PSC will also include one representative from each of the project partners, including:

  • OAS
  • CARICOM
  • REEEP
  • OECS (not officially cited as a partner in the project document but will participate as collaborating partner in the project’s implementation)
  • European Commission (Observer as primary Project donor)

Tasks of the Project as Discussed:

Sustainable Energy Plans:The project focus, particularly during year one of operation, on the establishment of Sustainable Energy Plans (SEPs). These SEPs will serve as a roadmap, identifying the objectives for developing renewable energy and energy efficiency projects and services in the countries. Within the “roadmaps” will be the identification of the key initiatives that are required to facilitate the achievement of the objectives. Many of these initiatives will form the basis for CSEP interventions during the second and third years of the project. These initiatives may include reform of policies and laws, capacity building, institutional strengthening and project assessments and identification.

Questions were raised regarding the selection of countries for the development of the SEPs. The project document suggests that three of the seven countries will complete SEPs. This statement is based on the fact that four countries (St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, Dominica and Grenada) have already prepared a version of a SEP. Thus SEPs will be prepared in three additional countries (Antigua and Barbuda, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and the Bahamas). However, support will be provided to each of the seven countries to further the development and/or adoption of an SEP.

There was a lengthy discussion on the distinction between Sustainable Energy Plans and National Energy Policies. It was suggested that the SEPs as presented for this project are essentially national policies with the key distinction being that the SEPs will target sustainable energy technologies (renewables and efficiency) and not the full gambit of energy issues (i.e. fossil fuels, transmission lines, roads, etc.).

The SEPs will include components such as establishing reasonable targets for renewable energy, offering proposed solutions to overcome obstacles and challenges, and setting out of a timetable for achieving the goals of SEPs.

Other Inputs:

  • The Project (on its own and in partnership with CREDP/GTZ) should help by serving as a forum for information dissemination. Jointly the projects should improve coordination/cooperation on all related matters.
  • For events in the region it was suggested that participants may upload to:
  • The representative from St. Vincent and the Grenadines mentioned that there is a policy and action plan preparation process underway with the support of the GTZ. GTZ has also had interventions in this regard in Grenada and St. Lucia.
  • Lambrides described the SEP process and status in Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Lucia.
  • GTZ will continue to support policy and planning processes in the countries. Participants noted that the SEP and policy/planning activities should be coordinated closely.
  • Barbados’ representative requested permission to participate in regional activities of the project if it pays its own costs. This was agreed to.
  • The CARICOM representative suggested that the primary role for the Energy Unit for the near to medium term will be elaboration/completion of the regional energy policy.
  • There was considerable discussion regarding the potential value of such a policy, suggesting that a coordinated regional policy with some level of enforceability should serve as a strong catalyst for sustainable energy development in the region.
  • The role/issue of the utilities in the region was discussed. It was suggested that utilities do have a need for certainty of long term contracts for power generation and distribution. However, this should not be an impediment to the development of renewable energy and increased energy efficiency. If the existing monopolies are not willing increase sustainable energy use then there needs to be alternative approached to stimulate such actions.
  • The importance of the utilities is one of the key reasons why CARILEC was invited to serve as a partner on the project and to host (beginning in year 2) the Regional Coordinating Unit.

CONCLUSION AND NEXT STEPS

Mr. Lambrides again stressed the need for integration, synergies and streamlining among the various initiatives, and informed participants of the proposed next steps, such as dissemination of lessons learned and best practices of management effectiveness on RE/EE, and synergies between the CREDP and CSEP projects with a view towards a follow up on both projects implementation.

Next steps for the implementation of the project were discussed. Mr. Lambrides suggested that following this meeting:

1)An aide memoire regarding the discussions and attached presentation will be distributed.

2)The Project will begin with focus on development of SEPs.

  1. A general template will be prepared (based on past SEPs and in consultation and per experience of GTZ, CARICOM, others).
  2. Consultations will be scheduled for countries where there have yet to be interventions on this matter (Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines).
  3. Discussions (consultations as needed) will occur in countries where previous SEPs exist.

3)Meeting of the PSC to discuss year one progress.

  1. Mr. Lambrides suggested that a possible occasion for the next steering committee meeting be at the next Summit of the Americas, scheduled for April 17-19, 2009 in Trinidad and Tobago. (Following the conclusion of our meeting in St. Lucia, it was determined for reasons of scheduling and facilities that this will not be an option.)
  2. Alternatively (idea post meeting) would be during the proposed Caribbean Renewable Energy Forum (tbd, Jamaica, May 2009).

[1]Executed by the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States, and having partnership with Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP), Caribbean Energy Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC), the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat and the Caribbean Renewable Energy Development Programme (CREDP)

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