TT to benefit from $19m solar energy

TT has made another step in reducing its carbon footprint and realising the Paris Agreement toward climate change, with its latest ratification of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) framework agreement.

Minister of Planning and Development Camille Robinson-Regis said TT has become a member of the ISA which will chart the way forward for the use of renewable energy by 2021.

The ministry said various solar projects were already underway through a partnership with the European Union and the United Nations Development Programme.

The next step of the project will be the installation of small-scale, roof-mounted, off grid, solar photovoltaic installations in rural areas, community infrastructures and other similar sites based on the proposals submitted nationally.

It is being funded by the European Union’s Global Climate Change Alliance Plus at an amount of €2.4 million or nearly $19 million.

She noted that a carbon reduction strategy and legislation to facilitate the addition of renewables were being developed for the three main sectors responsible for emitting the most carbon. The sectors targeted are power generation, transport and industrial sectors as outlined in the TT national development strategy, vision 2030.

The ISA is a coalition of solar resource-rich countries located between the tropics, which is usually hotter and home to rainforests.

ISA is aimed at increasing the use of solar energy and applications in member countries, in co-operation with the United Nations General Assembly resolution for co-operation and mobilisation of renewable energy.

It also geared toward achieving the United Nations sustainable development goal seven, which is to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all, in keeping with both the United Nations framework convention on climate change and the Paris Agreement.

Earlier this year the prime minister said, “Significant improvements in renewable energy means we now can begin diversification, knowing that we are not compromising our supply of electricity while reducing our carbon footprint.”

The key areas of focus opportunities for TT include the promotion of solar technologies, new business models and investment, the formulation of projects and programmes to promote solar applications; the development of innovative financial mechanisms to reduce cost of capital, to build a common knowledge e-portal; and the facilitation of capacity building for promotion and absorption of solar technologies and research and development among member countries.