Renewable Energy In Our Not-So-New Home: Part 4

by: Zaafia Alexander

Implementation and Ways to Support Renewable Energy

Implementation is the carrying out, execution, or practice of a plan, a method, or any design, idea, model, specification, standard, or policy for doing something.

What is being done locally:

The RE Division's initiatives include installing Solar Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting in the country's play parks and basketball courts, proposing the installation of two electric vehicle charging stations at UDeCOTT's Hyatt car park, and planning and hosting CARICOM Energy Month events. The Division also works with international organizations and local stakeholders to secure funding and expertise for projects such as the Caribbean Renewable Energy Fund (CREF) Project of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Global Climate Change Alliance Plus (GCCA+) Initiative.

How and when do Trinidad and Tobago intend to implement renewable energy? How can we support it?

On June 24th, 2021, an article was posted, dedicated to addressing the switching of renewable energy and the necessary altercation of consumer behavior for the successful progression of our economy. Here’s what it contained:

“Trinidad & Tobago aims to achieve a reduction in overall emissions from the three (3) sectors by 15% by 2030 from Business as Usual (BAU), which in absolute terms is an equivalent of one hundred and three million tonnes (103,000,000) of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e).” -Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley

Using electricity lavishly is quite a common occurrence within Trinidad and Tobago, but this needs to cease. If we intend to tackle climate change accurately and reduce our emissions, there needs to be a proficient effort from all ends — an initiative from citizens needs to be existent (seeing as how residential and commercial consumers account for 45% of the country’s electricity consumption). Education and awareness projects, such as those being undertaken by the renewable energy division at the MEEI, are crucial for people to have an understanding as to what role they play in this shift and the tools available to them to actualize this aforementioned conversion.

Additionally, it was stated that the Renewable Energy Division (RED) at the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries (MEEI) is engaged in numerous other initiatives. These initiatives range from:

· utility-scale to distributed and smaller-scale RE projects;

· education and awareness projects;

· participation in technical studies;

· and development of regional and local standards and codes.

We all must make substantial efforts to switch or support renewable energy; with more usage of this energy, we severely reduce our greenhouse gases, thereby decreasing our air pollution (as a result of our resistance to our codependence on fossil fuels and other harmful sources).