ST KITTS AND NEVIS (Commonwealth Union)_The twin-island federation of St. Kitts and Nevis has unveiled plans for a geothermal project to advance its objective for energy security.
The energy and environment ministries collaborated on the geothermal project, according to Dr. Joyelle Clarke, minister of the environment and climate action. “I am very clear that we are collaborating to establish what we refer to as energy security for St. Kitts and Nevis, as well as to confirm our renewable energy balance. We need to use a variety of renewable energy sources instead of switching exclusively to solar or geothermal power,” she said.
The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) in Belize and the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE) in Barbados have both been contacted by the government, according to Dr. Clarke, and representatives of both regional organisations will soon meet with the Cabinet and relevant stakeholders.
The Sustainable Island State Initiative, which is Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew’s principal emphasis, will also be discussed in their presentation, according to the Minister.
She mentioned the significance of the geothermal project with Nevis for a number of factors. “Any resources that are present in Nevis will be included in our federal resources. We must make sure that the relationship endures and that, when it comes to geothermal energy, St. Kitts and Nevis is regarded as a single Federal state and a single nation. It will benefit not only St. Kitts and Nevis but also the larger Caribbean and will play a crucial role in our mix of renewable energy sources,” Dr. Clarke said.
Energy Minister Konris Maynard predicts success from the alliance. “We are delighted to be collaborating in our effort to establish a renewable energy industry in St. Kitts and Nevis, which includes investigating the myriad opportunities presented by geothermal energy,” the Minister said. “Currently, it is believed that Nevis’ geothermal wells will produce enough electricity to initially supply both Nevis and St. Kitts.” The federation, according to him, is currently in the “transitional phase” of moving from entire dependency on fossil fuels to investigating all of the possible mixes of renewable energy.
