by Kevon Browne
St. Kitts and Nevis (WINN): The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis, in collaboration with regional and international partners, launched the Global Environment Facility (GEF)/United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) SKN 100 Project from within the Ministry of Environment, Climate Action, et al. on July 4, 2024.
The project aims to achieve a Rapid Decarbonization Of The Energy Sector In St. Kitts and Nevis by allowing businesses and residents to shift reliance from electricity through fossil fuels to solar and other green options with government support.
Reducing the Federation’s Greenhouse emissions by 61% by 2030 is a lofty goal, but a goal nonetheless of the Environment Ministry and the GEF/UNEP initiative is directly in line with achieving that goal and also linking the reduction to the build-out of the energy sector, according to Environment Minister Hon. Dr Joyelle Clarke.
“It’s important for us to establish why we’re making these commitments, [and] why we are excited as the Ministry of Energy and Environment about this project. Why are we asking for collaboration and partnership? It’s not just something that we pulled out of a hat. It’s a national commitment, it’s regional, and it’s tied to our international obligations. And it’s also cross-cutting.”
Energy Minister Hon. Konris Maynard emphasised the importance of decarbonising the energy sector in the Federation.
“Our commitment to a decarbonised energy sector is not merely a policy directive but a fundamental pillar of our national development strategy. Our national energy policy sets forth an ambitious vision to ensure that all of us, every citizen, [have] access to reliable, clean, and affordable energy services.
By transitioning to renewable energy sources, we help to reduce our carbon footprint. Although, even when we achieve it, it will be negligible to observe.
“But we are doing it nonetheless. I recall the Prime Minister said when we were in COP28, we’re not looking for sympathy, we’re looking for partnership. Because we are doing it, we are doing what we need to do. We are taking the steps we need to take. So, by us transitioning to renewable energy sources, apart from helping to reduce our footprint, we also will enhance our energy security and our energy independence. It will help us to stabilise energy prices and create new economic opportunities through the development of the renewable energy sector. It is really a very good-looking future for the energy sector in St. Kitts and Nevis.”
The keynote speaker during the launch, Hon. Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis, shared the harsh reality that financing tends to be the primary factor that slows development, especially the development of geothermal energy on Nevis, a massive part of getting the Federation free from the grips of fossil fuel reliance.
“And when you ask why has geothermal not yet been developed, I get asked that a lot. The answer is simply financing. Comes back to financing. We can have all the lofty ambitions in the world. Without financing, we cannot achieve those ambitions. And the Minister made a very important point, Minister Maynard, that is, when he spoke about us achieving what we’re seeking to achieve for us. Because truth be told, our emissions are so minimal and negligible at this point, that even if we do achieve our goal of reducing those to zero, it perhaps will not have any global impact.
“But we’re doing it nevertheless. Because we recognise that it is important for us to achieve energy independence. It is important for us to wean ourselves off fossil [fuels]. It is important for us to decarbonise our energy sector. And we do it for us. We do it for the people of St. Kitts and Nevis. And in so doing, I believe that we will become the model, not only for the region but for the world.”
Ruth Zugman Do Coutto, the Chief of the Mitigation Branch, Climate Change Division of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), expressed UNEP’s wholehearted support and enthusiasm for participating in the GEF project. This collective commitment from key stakeholders is a testament to the momentum of this initiative.
“On behalf of UNEP, I wish to reiterate how delighted we are to work together and support St. Kitts and Nevis in this important initiative, together with the financial support of the Global Environment Facility and the execution support of the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency. This project addresses significant barriers … related to scaling up energy efficiency and renewable energy on the Twin Islands. Through its three components, it aims to [develop] policy and capacity building, combined pilot projects, and develop a financial mechanism.
“These are very important aspects to ensure that the project has continuity, a sustainability exit strategy, a mechanism that allows the results to be financially viable, and the pilot projects to show the evidence with the aim to have energy efficient public buildings in St. Kitts and Nevis. Through these and other initiatives, such as geothermal projects, St. Kitts and Nevis has positioned itself as a leader in the Caribbean region for tackling climate change through the decarbonisation of the energy sector. This project, I believe… is strategic, and not only that it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but just as importantly, will reduce reliance on imported oil, thus enhancing the country’s energy security and balance of payments.”
The UNEP representative emphasised the organisation’s willingness to work towards making the project come to fruition as quickly as possible to reap the benefits and share the information with other territories.
“I think this is also a project that the results can be shared in many other Small Island Developing States in the Caribbean, but not only in the Pacific as well. And if this project bears fruit, we’ll be very happy to share the results. And we trust that we’ll work together for the fruits to be seen as quickly as possible. The UNEP team stands ready to provide support throughout the project execution and to ensure the successful realisation of these projects and results, and the timely achievement of the impact.”
Dr. Devon Gardner, Head of Technical Programmes at the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE), lauded St. Kitts and Nevis for pushing to democratise the energy sector in St. Kitts and Nevis.
“The democratisation of energy, as we call it, is the single biggest piece of the just transition that we can give to our citizens. The democratisation of energy on the macro scale also will allow our countries to diversify their economies from the over-dependence on agriculture and, fisheries and tourism, which are very climate-sensitive, to a dependence on much more robust sectors such as energy. Countries like St. Kitts and Nevis in the past would never be considered within a conversation around energy ten years ago, 15, 20 years ago. But now, there are global eyes, looking at St. Kitts and Nevis as a possible energy powerhouse, not just within the region, but within the world.”
With the build-out of geothermal and solar energy resources, St. Kitts and Nevis is no longer a bystander in the energy market. The Federation’s efforts are gaining recognition on a regional and global scale, marking a significant shift in the energy landscape.
“The CCREEE is pleased to be associated with the GEF 7 project, and the GEF 7 project is intending to provide the kind of capacity backstopping to St. Kitts and Nevis that will allow for the exploration and exploitation of the energy resources by creating the kind of legal and regulatory framework that makes things predictable for investors, but also predictable for users and customers. More critically, the integrated utility services which you would have seen [and] spoken about is something of which I’m proud, and is something of which St. Kitts and Nevis can be proud.
“Because in the end, St. Kitts and Nevis will become one of the very first countries, not only in the region, but in the world, to be able to allow for customers to achieve their own energy needs through distributed energy resources, meaning rooftop solar, distributed battery, and to use it more efficiently through efficient cooling, efficient lighting, etc., and do so by financing it through their electricity bills. We call it unbilled tariff financing.
“This is something which is game-changing and will ensure that the democratisation of energy is one that is happening really in a way in which every single citizen can participate because it will take away the issues around acquisition costs that would normally favour the rich and allow every citizen who has a good relationship and a good track record of paying their electricity bill to get access to monies, to be able to make investments on the distributed side of their system.”
The Ministers of Energy and Environment expressed gratitude to UNEP, CCREE, and all other regional and international partners for partnering with the Federation to further development toward achieving a pillar of its sustainable island state agenda.
The project is expected to be built out over the next three years by 2027.
