$7.4 Million to Support Latin America Energy Organization Office in Jamaica

Some $7.4 million has been allotted in the 2014/15 Estimates of Expenditure for the establishment of a Latin America Energy Organization (OLADE) Caribbean Sub-regional office in Jamaica.

The project aims to facilitate deeper integration among member countries in the Caribbean and provide greater access to products and services offered by OLADE.

As at February 2014, a sub-regional office was established and operationalized; 3,000 fluorescent light bulbs have been distributed to rural communities via the Rural Electrification Programme; a Sub-Regional Coordinator has been engaged via OLADE to manage the sub-regional office; and the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), and the Nationality Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMA) have been convened.

The project also completed studies on: distributed generation of electricity in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC); Renewable Energy Observatory for LAC; and the identification of programme of activities and nationality appropriate mitigation actions in Jamaica.

Anticipated targets for 2014/15 include: starting the OLADE-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States Energy Balances Project to provide support for six Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States for calculation of energy balances for the energy sector; continue improving access to energy market projects; providing technical support for a portfolio of projects on sustainable energy access in LAC; and pursuing a training programme with HEART/NTA of technicians in renewable energy technology.

The project is funded by the Latin American and Caribbean Energy Organisation and the Government of Jamaica.