Minister of Energy and Business, Senator Lisa Cummins (second from right), after receiving the CREF Award. Looking on are (from left) Permanent Secretary, Andrew Gittens; Alternate Executive Director for Caribbean Countries on the resident Board of Executive Directors of the Inter-American Development Bank, Jerry Butler; and Programme Manager in the Project Execution Unit, Keisha Reid. (GP)
Barbados has again won an award at the fifth annual Caribbean Renewable Energy Forum’s (CREF) Industry Awards.
The island’s Householders’ Right to Renewable Energy (RTRE) Policy received an award for the Best Climate Policy/Program.
Minister of Energy and Business, Senator Lisa Cummins, recently accepted the award, at CREF, the largest annual gathering of the regional energy market, in Miami.
Eleven winners were announced during the industry awards, which recognise excellence in the people, projects, and programmes driving the clean energy transition in the Caribbean.
Senator Cummins said she was happy that Government’s diligent efforts to assist its people had been recognised and even rewarded.
“This policy allows for renewable energy access for ordinary Barbadians alongside large investment capability. So, this award represents a programme that allows Barbadians to install up to 10 kilowatts on their houses without a licence, and it is about ensuring that we enfranchise all Barbadians, as we change the model and narrative for renewable energy for all,” the Minister said.
The Best Climate Policy/Program is the third award the Ministry of Energy and Business has received, and is a testament to the continued efforts being made as the country strives to reach the Barbados National Energy Policy target of 100 per cent renewable energy.
The RTRE Policy simplifies the process for householders to be connected to the grid. It allows householders to have capacity reserved on the electrical grid for their renewable energy system until they are ready to invest.
In a press release, New Energy Events, the hosts of CREF, explained that the awards were established to recognise leaders in the Caribbean energy sector who were making a lasting impact on the development of resilient and renewable energy systems in the region.
“Many award winners are first-movers, carving a path for project development in the region. Others have been in the region for years, and understand the nuances and needs of island nations pursuing a clean energy future,” it stated.
The other winners of the CREF 2023 Industry Awards are:
- Best C&I Project: Caribbean Broilers Group, Jamaica | Soleco Energy (Jamaica) Limited and Deetken Impact
- Best Climate Finance Program: Caribbean Basin Sustainable Energy Fund (CABEF) | Deetken Impact
- Best Distributed Energy Project: Caban Systems
- Best E-mobility Project: Electrification of the Public Bus Fleet | Bermuda Ministry of Transport
- Best Energy Efficiency Project: COK Sodality Co-op CU Ltd.
- Best Energy Resilience Projects: Abaco School Microgrids Project | The Bahamas
- Dominica Schools Microgrid Project | Clara Lionel Foundation
- Best Energy Storage Project: Lethem EPC Solar Plant + BESS | Soventix Caribbean and Farfan & Mendes
- Best Microgrid Project: Solar Island Energy and Eastern Caribbean Central Bank
Best Utility Scale Project: Donoe Solar | St Thomas, USVI
