(Trinidad Express) The World Bank has ranked Trinidad and Tobago as one of the worst energy-efficient countries in the world, Minister of Energy Kevin Ramnarine has said.
Speaking at yesterday’s launch of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Ministry of Energy Sustainable Energy Programme at the Marriott Courtyard hotel, Invaders Bay, Ramnarine said: “The sad reality is World Bank has ranked Trinidad as one of the worst energy-efficient countries in the world, so we have to get our act together.
“In a country like ours, this is very critical. The focus really has to be on renewable energy and energy efficiency.
“It (energy) affects our everyday life and I think the culture has to change in Trinidad with regards to how we treat with energy. There has to be a culture of conservation in Trinidad and Tobago.”
Ramnarine said a lot of the inefficiency comes from the very old industrial plants operating in the country.
He said in 2011 the Government entered into a policy agreement with the IDB for the development of a sustainable energy policy framework which is geared to support Government’s major efforts to transform T&T into a country that uses a more efficient combination of energy sources.
Ramnarine said the Ministry is very supportive of the IDB initiative for sustainable energy, and has been on a mission to improve the level of consciousness about the role of energy and the need to conserve energy in various ways.
He added that they were also doing some work in the area of renewable energy.
“With regards to renewable energy, we have been doing quite a lot. A project that we are very proud of is at the Islamic children’s home in Gasparillo. We have installed renewable energy technologies at that Islamic home for children (a windmill and other renewable energy systems).
“Coming out of that, we are considering a wind-farm on the east coast of Trinidad.
“A wind resource assessment study is soon going to be awarded by the National Energy Corporation to determine where this country’s wind resources are located,” he added.