Powering the future: Wind, green hydrogen could redefine Trinidad and Tobago

Craig Boodoo

As TT navigates a shifting global energy landscape, a bold new strategy is emerging.

Large-scale wind energy deployment, paired with green hydrogen and green ammonia production, is being positioned as the country’s next major economic engine, one that could secure competitiveness in a decarbonising world.

TT's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement underscore its commitment to global climate action despite its fossil fuel-based economy.

The country's policy foundation, including its National Climate Change Policy (2011) and Carbon Reduction Strategy, paved the way for these climate pledges.

As a signatory to the Paris Agreement, TT's Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) submitted in 2015 officially became its NDC upon ratification in February 2018. The NDC outlines specific, conditional commitments to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The main pledge is a conditional 15 per cent reduction of cumulative GHG emissions by 2030 from a 2013 baseline.

This target, valued at a reduction of 103 million tonnes of CO2e, is focused on the industrial, power generation and transportation sectors and is contingent on international financial support.

It must be noted that the industrial sectors, inclusive of ammonia and methanol, are responsible for more than 50 per cent of the nation’s CO2e emissions.

With natural gas reserves in decline and new climate regulations like the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) threatening carbon-intensive exports, the time for decisive action is now.

At the heart of the plan is the island’s vast untapped wind resource, estimated at 30 GW offshore and 2.5 GW onshore, which could power electrolysers to produce green hydrogen, the key ingredient for green ammonia.

This isn’t just about being green; it’s about remaining competitive.

The Green Hydrogen Roadmap, developed with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and National Energy in 2022, envisions up to four million tonnes per year of green hydrogen by 2065.

For comparison, TT has an installed capacity to use up to 1.7 million tonnes of hydrogen annually, mainly for ammonia and methanol production.

The wind strategy, Setting the Path for Wind Energy Generation in TT, published in May 2023 with EU support, lays out a roadmap to harness the country’s wind resources. The study includes a scientific desktop survey identifying the best locations for wind power generation both onshore and offshore.

The wind-hydrogen-ammonia value chain

The strategy builds on existing strengths.

TT already boasts a world-class petrochemical industry at Point Lisas, anchored in grey hydrogen and ammonia production produced from natural gas.

Hydrogen produced from natural gas via steam-reforming is termed "grey hydrogen."

By switching to renewable inputs, the same petrochemical infrastructure could supply cleaner fuels and fertilisers to markets in Europe, Asia and Latin America.

Green hydrogen, produced by splitting water with renewable electricity, can be combined with nitrogen from the air to create green ammonia.

TT has already invested billions of dollars in ammonia manufacturing, thus offering a competitive advantage.

This green product is in growing demand as both a fertiliser and a carbon-free shipping fuel.

CBAM: Threat and opportunity

The EU’s CBAM (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism), which places tariffs on carbon-heavy imports like ammonia and steel starting in 2026, represents both a risk and an opportunity for exporters.

Companies relying on grey hydrogen will face penalties, but those able to pivot to green hydrogen and green ammonia will gain a competitive edge.

Making wind bankable

One hurdle is the absence of verified wind data. Without it, investors hesitate to fund billion-dollar projects.

To close that gap, the Wind Resource Assessment Programme (WRAP) was launched in late 2024, deploying LiDAR systems at Galeota and Waterloo and then in mid-2025 at Manzanilla and Santa Flora. These are the four top-ranked onshore sites identified in the wind strategy.

LiDAR (light detection and ranging) is a remote sensing technology that uses pulsed laser light to measure wind speed and direction.

By emitting laser beams into the atmosphere and analysing the light that scatters back from dust and aerosol particles, LiDAR can determine wind speed and direction at various altitudes with high accuracy. This technology is widely used in meteorology and for siting wind turbines.

The WRAP will provide the bankable data needed to unlock financing and move toward the first goal of 2 GW of installed wind capacity by 2035.

This is somewhat analogous to acquiring seismic data in the oil and gas industry.

Diversification and decarbonisation

The plan is more than an emissions strategy. It’s an industrial policy designed to diversify the economy, create green jobs and reduce reliance on natural gas.

TT's NDC commits to cutting emissions by 15 per cent across three key sectors, including industry, power and transportation by 2030.

Wind-powered hydrogen production could play a decisive role in meeting that target.

The road ahead

The cabinet-mandated Wind Energy Steering Committee (WESC), chaired by the Energy Ministry, including key stakeholders from government ministries and state companies, is leading the charge.

Priorities now include:

· Completing the WRAP and securing long-term bankable data.

· Establishing a permitting and regulatory framework for wind and green hydrogen.

· Attracting foreign and local investment into the green hydrogen value chain.

· Upgrading the national grid to handle higher levels of renewables.

A new century of energy

As TT marks over a century of energy leadership, the transition from natural gas to green energy offers both challenge and promise.

By betting on wind, green hydrogen and green ammonia, the nation has the chance to carve out a new global role, not just as an oil and gas producer, but as a leader in clean energy commodities.

Unlike most small island developing states (SIDS), TT enjoys a distinct advantage – its world-class petrochemical infrastructure in ammonia and methanol, combined with a strong demand for green hydrogen, creates the scale necessary to attract large-scale investment in clean energy.

This column was submitted by the Geological Society of TT (GSTT).