Energy Minister Says Transformation Taking Place

Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Hon. Fayval Williams, says there is a transformation taking place in the regional energy sector that will require much more collaborative approaches across jurisdictions.

The Minister, who was speaking at the closing ceremony for the Energy & Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA) Meeting at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, St. James, on February 28, said this will also require a deep commitment from “our development partners” and the regional private sector.

“Many small developing states are fiscally stretched and challenged to establish enabling frameworks to develop and transform their national energy sector,” the Minister noted.

“This Ministerial Meeting offered the opportunity to deepen integration while strengthening networks, scale up actions to achieve energy security and energy resilience, and to accelerate the pace for renewable energy actions,” she added.

Mrs. Williams, in describing the two-day event as “very successful,” said participants would have benefitted from the dialogue around energy efficiency.

The Minister noted that the “side event” on Sustainable Energy Paths for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) posited that investing in energy resilience could yield US$4 billion in net benefits.

“Recommendations for adopting sustainable energy pathways included the strengthening of regulatory frameworks that encourage investments in resilient energy systems and the development of financing mechanisms for sustainable energy investments,” the Minister said.

“As far as energy poverty is concerned, discussions surrounded access to energy for people and places that are hard to reach – rural communities, marginalised and poor communities – and innovative solutions that involve off-grid and micro-grids. Baseline surveys to determine gender gap in energy was recommended,” she noted.

Mrs. Williams said robust discussions were pursued in the area of electric mobility where Jamaica presented on the strategic Framework developed in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank. The Framework, she added, provides for a set of measures involving set targets.

The Minister said that the energy gains across the region are commendable and noteworthy, there is still a far way to go.

“We have a considerable way to go to reach the last mile of achieving access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy,” she argued.

The ECPA promotes the concerted efforts of governments and the private sector in order to further regional leadership in energy efficiency, renewable energy, cleaner and more efficient use of fossil fuels, infrastructure, integration and innovation.