A small but growing number of countries are well on their way to producing all of their electricity from renewable sources. Dominica, in the eastern Caribbean, is planning to join these pioneers and become the first small island developing State (SIDS) to stop using fossil fuels for energy generatio Contact online >>
A small but growing number of countries are well on their way to producing all of their electricity from renewable sources. Dominica, in the eastern Caribbean, is planning to join these pioneers and become the first small island developing State (SIDS) to stop using fossil fuels for energy generation.
It''s called geothermal energy, and it''s an exciting prospect for the country. Geothermal has none of the intermittency issues of wind and solar – in other words, it provides stable energy day and night – and doesn''t take up any surface real estate, keeping the Roseau Valley in its pristine state.
Most SIDS are dependent on imported fossil fuels for electricity generation and transport, putting a major strain on their resources and jeopardising their energy security by exposing them to the vagaries of the international fuel markets.
Dominica, however, has a powerful clean power source lying in wait below the Roseau Valley, a popular tourist destination a short drive from the capital, Roseau, that is clean, completely renewable and could provide so much energy that the government could even sell excess electricity to neighbouring islands.
Pipes are drilled deep underground until they hit a "geothermal reservoir", an accumulation of water warmed by the Earth''s subterranean heat to approximately 250° Celsius. Because Dominica lies atop a volcanic ridge, this heat is relatively close to the surface. When the pipes reach the reservoir, the high pressure drives it to the surface, where it is converted to steam to drive turbines that produce electricity.
"We''ve found an excellent geothermal reservoir in Roseau Valley, around a thousand metres down," said Fred John, the head of the government-owned Dominica Geothermal Development Corporation. "We''ve built two wells – one to bring up the hot water and another to return it back down to the reservoir – so it''s a closed loop system. We have chosen the technology that is the most environmentally friendly and best in class."
The Government of Dominica has been convinced for decades that geothermal could be transformative for livelihoods, slashing the cost of electricity in a country which is currently reliant primarily on expensive imported diesel as a power source and supplemented by hydropower and a small amount of wind and solar.
"Dominica has been pursuing this energy source as long ago as 1969," says Vince Henderson, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Business, Trade and Energy. "Studies carried out with the assistance of the United Nations determined that we have the potential to power the island. We''ve had the ambition to realise that potential since 1974, when we created the Geothermal Development Corporation."
It took the government almost four decades to secure the funding needed to drill test wells, which confirmed that geothermal would be commercially viable, allowing them to sell to neighbouring Martinique and Guadeloupe.
"Developing geothermal power is very expensive, particularly for remote island States. We were fortunate because we received a combination of grants and concessional loans in order to get to where we are," said Mr. Henderson, pointing to funding that has come from a variety of sources, including the Caribbean Development Bank, American Development Bank and the World Bank as well as the governments of New Zealand, United Kingdom and the United States. "However," he added, "if the international community is serious, there has to be some upfront investment by way of grant funding."
The Government of Dominica is confident that geothermal energy from the plant could be powering the island within the next two years, a small time to wait given the decades-long struggle to get the project off the ground.
"I think this gives the country a real shot to transform itself economically," Mr. John said. "The first step will be cheaper electricity for everybody, which will make a huge difference. But then we go on to sell it, bringing revenue to Dominica and allowing the entire island economy to rise."
Dominica aims to become the world''s first "climate-resilient" nation, and the indigenous Kalinago people are playing a leading role in developing the country and helping its people to thrive in the face of the climate emergency.
Washington, D.C., January 26, 2024, The World Bank''s Board of Executive Directors approved a project designed to support the Commonwealth of Dominica in developing and integrating clean, sustainable and low-cost energy. Through this $38.5 million project, a new robust transmission network will be built to withstand natural hazards, strengthening Dominica''s electricity grid.
In response to these challenges, geothermal energy has been identified by the Government of Dominica as a transformative solution to propel the country toward a green and resilient economy, particularly as it possesses geothermal resources far exceeding its current domestic needs. The World Bank''s ongoing Dominica Geothermal Risk Mitigation Project is supporting the development of the first geothermal power plant through drilling of new geothermal wells, critical for plant viability and increasing its capacity. The project will also oversee technical studies.
"Dominica is making significant strides in geothermal energy, with innovative investments to deliver clean, low-cost electricity to its citizens and thereafter, the Eastern Caribbean. With support from the World Bank and the Government of Canada, we are building a resilient network for geothermal energy transmission. This network is critical for the commissioning of a 10MW geothermal power plant by Ormat Technologies Inc. Geothermal energy can transform the nation''s energy sector and the economy by reducing electricity costs, achieving 100% renewable energy by 2030 and generating new streams of revenue from the sale of green energy," stated Hon. Dr. Vince Henderson, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Business, Trade and Energy for Dominica.
To complement these efforts, the new Dominica Geothermal Risk Mitigation Project II will allow for the construction of new electrical transmission lines and substations to connect and evacuate electricity generated from the geothermal plant to Dominica''s largest electricity distribution center in the southwest. The project will create a strong network for transmission of electricity with redundancy between key power plants and the demand center, to withstand known natural hazards in the area and thus improve resilience of the entire grid.
"Dominicans will benefit from access to more reliable, cost-efficient and sustainable electricity and the private sector will see less interruption to their production, through the second phase of this project. Households, in particular, will enjoy welfare gains fostering improved opportunities for income, education, and healthcare," said Lilia Burunciuc, World Bank Country Director for the Caribbean. "Supporting women''s participation in the energy sector will also be crucial for the success of the project," she added.
To help responses to future extreme weather events, the project will also facilitate the procurement of emergency spare parts and equipment for efficient and fast repairs, as well as provide technical assistance to improve emergency preparedness, strengthen the regulatory framework, and modernize the grid.
Special focus is placed on inclusion. The project will foster women''s participation in Dominica''s energy sector through the provision of educational programs, scholarships, employment and internship opportunities in electrical, mechanical engineering or other relevant areas. This component will be financed by the Canada-World Bank Clean Energy and Forest Climate Facility.
"Canada is pleased to support the Canada-World Bank Clean Energy and Forest Climate Facility as part of its climate finance envelope. Through our international climate finance program, Canada takes pride in assisting developing countries in their shift towards low-carbon and more climate-resilient economies, all while adopting a gender-responsive approach. The Dominica Geothermal Risk Mitigation II project is a clear example of how climate finance can effectively tackle gender barriers, ensuring that the clean energy transition is inclusive for all," remarked Her Excellency, Lilian Chatterjee, High Commissioner for Canada to Dominica.
The Dominica Geothermal Risk Mitigation Project II is financed through a World Bank International Development Association (IDA) credit of $38.5 million and a $0.25 million grant from the Canada-World Bank Clean Energy and Forest Climate Facility. IDA credits are a zero to low-interest loan mechanism designed to boost economic growth, reduce inequalities and improve living conditions.
Together with its technical partners, The Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica and Dominica Electricity Services Limited (DOMLEC) recently reviewed the results of the first phase of the Sustainable and Resilient Energy Plan (S-REP), illustrating how to produce the country''s future electricity through secure, affordable, and resilient renewable energy.
The S-REP is a multi-donor stakeholder process to identify a cost-effective, reliable and climateresilient electricity system for Dominica. It focuses on answering the most pertinent questions regarding Dominica''s energy rebuild following the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria in September 2017, and provides a strategic pathway for energy investments in Dominica. The SREP evaluates various generation solutions to meet Dominica''s future electricity needs, including geothermal, hydro, solar, wind, and battery storage.
In April 2018, Dominica signed an agreement with the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI) – an initiative of the Clinton Foundation – to manage S-REP.
The scope of the S-REP assignment includes:
The S-REP is expected to be completed by April 2019. At no cost to the Government of Dominica, CCI is managing the S-REP and coordinating donor support. Upon the completion of the S-REP, the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica, DOMLEC, and other key partners will possess a pathway to meeting the growing energy demands of Dominica for the next 10-20 years while reducing costs to consumers and maximizing the use of Dominica''s abundant renewable energy resources.
Stakeholders particularly customers and consumers of electricity in Dominica, have provided comments on two vital components related to the ongoing tariff review, that is DOMLEC''s Capital Investment Plan and Revenue Requirement proposals
The Government of Dominica and the Dominica Electricity Services (DOMLEC) have signed an agreement with Ormat Technologies Inc., a US company and its subsidiaries for the development of a 10 MW geothermal power plant in Laudat.
ROSEAU, Dominica– An insightful, informative and interactive National Energy Policy (NEP) Stakeholder Consultation was recently held to inform on the role and value of the policy to Dominica; to build an appreciation for the background and process in the development of a draft NEP; to provide an opportunity to obtain feedback and input from stakeholders to assist in finalizing the document and; to confirm the process for integrating feedback prior to submission to Government and outline the process for ongoing technical assistance.
In addressing the large group of participants, Dr. Reginald Thomas, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Blue and Green Economy, Agriculture and National Food Security highlighted the importance of the NEP which he explained will enable Dominica to transform into a sustainable and vibrant economy.
Dr. Thomas added that energy is a key contributor to the economies of small islands and the NEP is a vehicle for dialogue while seeking to demystify technical aspects and providing Dominicans with a sense of ownership and excitement.
Meanwhile, Glynn Morris, Principal of CADMUS Group commended the contributors to the NEP on a “new way of looking at an energy policy which is world-leading” adding that the energy sector is often approached, first, from the supply side but Dominica’s NEP draft is coming from an energy services perspective which focuses on energy needs in Dominica. He further explained that the “demand-pull versus supply-push” proposition makes tangible sense.
Morris walked participants through a detailed presentation on exploring the: Role of energy services, the energy services supply chain, energy flows in Dominica, losses in the provision of energy and the objectives of the policy among other critical areas.
The Technical Assistance Program for Sustainable Energy in the Caribbean (TAPSEC) was represented by Program Leader, Simon Zellner who presented an overview of the CARICOM Energy Policy and Regulations Help Desk which aims to provide CARICOM Member States with the required technical support to develop an enabling environment to accelerate the sustainable energy transition.
After the formal presentations, an engaging and lively exchange of suggestions, ideas and input ensued with participants leading to the consensus that Dominica is on the right path with its draft policy and could easily be an example for the rest of the region.
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