TT Chamber to host Clean Energy conference

The theme for the conference is “Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in a Hydrocarbon Economy” and will take place over two days, starting June 8.

The event comes at a crucial time in Trinidad and Tobago when the energy sector is faced with significant challenges including declining production of both oil and natural gas, a statement from the Chamber said.

“Renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency measures represent a tremendous opportunity to save natural gas especially in the power generation sector.

The Energy Chamber through the work being conducted in the Energy Efficiency and Alternative Energy committee, has calculated that the country loses as much as TT$ 500 million each year because of inefficiency in the power generation sector.

Greater efficiency in the power generation sector would free-up more gas for methanol, ammonia and LNG exports, adding value to the gas sector and increasing the availability of foreign exchange,” the statement said.

The conference seeks to highlight opportunities for the government to make better economic use of natural gas and add to overall economic growth.

The conference will see key members of the government presenting their positions on renewable energy and energy efficiency including the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries, Economic Development Board, Ministry of Planning and the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission.

At the conference key international and local speakers will present on increasing the uptake of renewable energy in Trinidad and Tobago and ways to improve energy efficiency in the country.

Feature speakers include Luis Bertran, Secretary General of the International Gas Union (Barcelona, Spain), Chuck Faulkner, General Manager, Efficiency One Services (Nova Scotia, Canada) and Peter Richards, Vice President, Lloyds Register.

Also expected to present initial findings and recommendations toward a roadmap to achieving the government’s target of ten percent renewable energy by 2021 is technical expert Ioannis Stefanou.

The chamber also noted that Trinidad and Tobago is one of the highest per-captia emitters of CO2 and the government has also pledged internationally to reduce emissions by 15 percent by 2030.

“It is also clear that in order for Trinidad and Tobago to achieve its intended targets, work must begin immediately.

The government, along with the private sector must take leadership in the movement toward clean energy to ensure a sustainable energy mix for the future and also to ensure the strength of the overall economy,” the Chamber noted.