NGC head calls for work towards energy efficiency

Loquan did so on Wednesday while delivering his sponsor’s remarks at Day One of the Energy Chamber’s inaugural Clean Energy Conference at the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business, Mt Hope.

In a statement issued yesterday, NGC said Loquan noted that the NGC Group of Companies was committed to driving energy efficiency across the country, in concert with the State, value-chain partners and the people of TT.

NGC added that Loquan referred to Government’s commitment to achieve ten per cent of energy from renewable sources by 2021.

According to the NGC President, this was neither an insignificant nor unambitious target __ translating to potentially 350 MW (megawatts) of electricity from a starting point of, essentially, zero.

“The Government’s target is not an impossible one.

Regionally, Dominica has been able to achieve 28 per cent of renewables in just four years. Costa Rica, having converted to 98 per cent of electricity from renewables, is now targeting 100 per cent carbon neutrality by 2021. “The good news about starting from behind,” Loquan said, “is that we have the benefit of the learnings of others.

“We do not need to gradually evolve, we can make quantum leaps using best practice examples from our neighbours and from around the world.” The NGC president also spoke to the work being done by subsidiaries, including National Energy and NGC CNG. Loquan said National Energy was currently looking at the feasibility of solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacture, while NGC CNG was experiencing an unexpected cluster development since the introduction of the alternative, cleaner fuel to the market.

Loquan said that as energy leaders, entrepreneurs, educators, researchers and citizens, it fell to this group “to resolve this issue of seeming inertia and leave (the conference) with concrete, targeted actions that will support the national goal of ten per cent by 2021.

“We think NGC can play a central role in working with all stakeholders, TTEC, ministries, industry et cetera, to bring about energy efficiency and increase investment in renewables.

Education is a critical component to increase awareness of energy efficiency through a comprehensive examination of energy management practices within the sector and throughout TT.”