Making Better Use of Energy Potential
The Caribbean island nations want to move away from oil as an energy source – and are looking to Germany for advice.
The oil age is coming to an end in the Caribbean – albeit slowly. The expensive raw material is still the most important energy source for the countries of the region. Renewable energies currently contribute only 2% of the energy consumed. Expanding them is hampered by the many different laws on energy policy. Even so, there is a rising awareness of the need for change in the region. After all, there is certainly no lack of natural sources: there is enough solar, wind, geothermal and hydroelectric power to make the Caribbean almost independent of fossil fuels. An initiative of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) promoted by Germany aims to exploit this potential: the Caribbean Renewable Energy Development Programme (CREDP). Together with international partners, the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) is supporting the development of renewable energies and the improvement of energy efficiency in 15 countries. The aim of the measures is to convince politicians of the need to create better overall conditions for renewable energies and to attract energy utilities and investors to promote them. Energy consultant Thomas Scheutzlich says that the energy revolution will still need lots of patience. But progress is being made. For example, the CARICOM Secretariat has had an Energy Department since 2008; some countries have introduced energy policies; and new wind farms, solar plants and hydroelectric power stations are planned.
Pioneer for the Whole of Latin America
How the Galapagos Islands are putting their faith in green technologies – with German support.
The Galapagos Islands are world famous for their unique flora and fauna. Biologists from all over the world are fascinated by this “open-air laboratory of evolution”. Less well known is the fact that the inhabitants of this archipelago off the coast of Ecuador have decided to do without petroleum imports in future. The era of droning diesel engines on the five inhabited islands is thus coming to an end. The Ecuadorian government’s energy-policy objective is to replace fossil fuels by renewable energy entirely by 2020 at the latest. This means the islands are taking on a pioneering role for the whole of Latin America. In addition to comprehensive energy-efficiency measures, the main priorities will be sun, wind and biomass. Since the transport sector plays an important role with almost 200,000 tourists visiting the archipelago each year, the idea is to switch to electric vehicles and biofuels. On the island of Floreana, the aim of generating 100% of energy from renewable sources has already been reached for the electricity sector. With the help of the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), two generators are now operating that are fuelled by vegetable oil and provide power for the island’s 200 residents. The vegetable oil is produced on Ecuador’s Pacific coast in Manabi. The farmers there harvest the oil nuts of the jatropha, which they use as a hedge plant between their fields.
