The island of Barbados has committed to transitioning to be the first 100% green and carbon neutral island state by 2030.

The country spent 4.5% of its GDP on fuel imports in 2016 (IDB 2018), making it a major consumer of the country’s scarce foreign exchange.  Energy is a key input into almost all economic activity, and due to Barbados’s dependence on oil, price spikes can lead to high inflation.

Across the island there has been a penetration of solar water heating and photovoltaics for households, businesses and national institutions including schools, hospitals and other government buildings. Additionally, there has been significant work on transitioning the agricultural sector to using renewable energy. The major challenge with increasing renewable energy use is the fact that using this type of energy is generally significantly more expensive than using conventional energy sources, given the upfront infrastructure investments required. With Barbados beginning its energy system transition by integrating more renewable energy sources, it is important to ensure that the existing and future energy generation and transmission/distribution infrastructure is climate resilient but also accessible towards the general public

The BECT seeks to support the further implementation of renewable energy practices and expansion of local programming and education to support this.

Sustainability grants

  • ISOTOPE Intervention

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  • CESaRE Voices Podcast

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