Grande Riviere centre now solar powered

THE Grande Riviere visitor centre has taken a major step toward sustainability.

The centre – the heartbeat of the eco-tourism village and home to a chocolate factory, guided tours and a turtle hatchery – now operates as a self-sustaining hub of renewable energy, powering essential community enterprises and driving long-term development.

Through the Extraordinary Projects Impacting Communities (EPIC) grant programme, the Grande Riviere Tourism Development Organisation (GRTDO) secured $150,000 in funding to install a Mango Power solar system, dramatically reducing the centre’s electricity costs – previously averaging at $4,000 per bill. The installation was completed in July.

GRTDO president Len Peters emphasised the transformative nature of the initiative for the remote north coast village.

"We can now better withstand power outages and reduce the costs and disruptions that come with blackouts.

"The future of our community-driven sustainable projects has been given a boost with the installation of the Mango Power solar system."

The project, aptly titled, Solar Solutions for Tomorrow, was among ten EPIC initiatives funded in 2024 by the Digicel Foundation and Shell TT, underscoring their shared commitment to advancing clean energy and community resilience.

Cindyann Currency, head of operations at Digicel Foundation, commended the group for its forward-thinking approach.

"This 'up-river project' tackles key challenges in a sustainable, climate-friendly way, empowering residents to continue shaping their community into the change they want to see."

Launched by the Digicel Foundation in 2016, the EPIC programme has since funded 160 projects nationwide, representing a $8.8 million investment in community empowerment.

Shell TT, which joined as a co-funding partner in 2023, recently extended its support of EPIC for another three years with a $1.9 million investment, reaffirming its commitment to environmental sustainability across TT.