Linda Charlotte Te Puni (left), the new Ambassador of New Zealand to the OECS, signs a partnership agreement with Dr. Didacus Jules (right), Director General of the OECS, during the presentation of her credentials at the OECS Commission headquarters.
CASTRIES, St. Lucia--The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and New Zealand have signed a landmark partnership agreement to advance geothermal energy and renewable energy development in the region. The signing ceremony took place during the presentation of credentials by Linda Charlotte Te Puni as the new Ambassador of New Zealand to the OECS.
The partnership signals another major step in the development of a clean, abundant, indigenous energy source in the Eastern Caribbean. The first geothermal power plant in the independent OECS Member States is set to be completed in Dominica in 2025, while work continues in other Eastern Caribbean countries to advance their geothermal projects.
With the OECS embarking on its 2025-2035 Decade of Action for Sustainable Energy Development, Dr. Didacus Jules, Director General of the OECS, highlighted the critical role of geothermal energy in the region's sustainable development:
"We [are – Ed.] beyond exploration now. Dominica is well advanced in its efforts, and we have relied very heavily on your expertise to assist in that process." He added: "The Commission recognises the broader potential of geothermal energy and is developing a geothermal direct use strategy to 2035. This strategy will focus on key sectors, including agriculture, tourism and manufacturing, and will incorporate feasibility studies, regulatory frameworks and a cross-sector working group. Additionally, the Commission will collaborate on a mapping exercise of geothermal resources to further advance these objectives."
The partnership agreement builds on New Zealand's substantial commitment to geothermal energy development in the Caribbean over the past decade.
Ambassador Te Puni said, "New Zealand is delighted to have such a constructive relationship with the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, in particular, as a close technical partner on geothermal energy, through which we have strengthened our engagement with partners in this part of the region."
The agreement aims to enhance the OECS's capacity in geothermal energy production, contributing to the region's energy security and climate change mitigation efforts.
Ambassador Te Puni elaborated on New Zealand's support: "Currently, we are conducting a capacity-building gap analysis for geothermal energy development to identify priority training actions to be delivered regionally in collaboration with the [OECS Geothermal Energy Capacity Building for Utilisation, Investment and Local Development] OECS GEOBUILD Programme. Through this project, New Zealand is looking forward to further contributing to the building of geothermal technical expertise in the region and to deepening the connections between New Zealand and the Caribbean."
Chamberlain Emmanuel, head of the Environmental Sustainability Division in the OECS Commission, underscored the importance of geothermal energy in the region’s renewable energy goals over the next decade: "We are looking at at least 30% renewable energy penetration as an average across the OECS region, with a minimum 20% per Member State by 2035. But then again, there will be a range of percentages across Member States. We do have the potential for countries with geothermal resources to exceed these targets and position us in an excellent way, and it's clear that geothermal is really the backbone behind that transformation.”
The partnership agreement is expected to play a crucial role in advancing the OECS's renewable energy development, reducing dependency on imported fossil fuels, and enhancing climate resilience across the region. It will provide technical assistance services to support the OECS in developing geothermal generation, as part of a broader renewable energy strategy to achieve what Ambassador Te Puni described as “practical outcomes for small island developing states”.
The OECS Commission is already collaborating with the Aotearoa New Zealand-Caribbean Facility for Renewable Energy FRENZ to strengthen Caribbean expertise in geothermal energy development. Under this collaboration, OECS GEOBUILD Programme is conducting a six-month analysis of geothermal energy skills and training needs across the region. Supported by New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the initiative aims to create a roadmap for sustainable capacity building in project management, engineering, environmental monitoring and regulatory oversight.
The initiative will leverage New Zealand's extensive experience in geothermal energy to address workforce challenges unique to small island developing states.
This assistance to build capacity for geothermal energy is timely as Dominica prepares to follow Guadeloupe with the second geothermal power plant in the OECS and the first in the Caribbean Community CARICOM. The Bouillante plant in the neighbouring OECS Member State of Guadeloupe – the first in France – has been producing electricity for the last 38 years. ~ OECS ~
