Member countries of the Organization of the Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) are currently receiving additional technical support to complement their on-going initiatives toward establishing a clearer path to a more sustainable energy future. Such technical support has been made possible through grant funding in excess of US $1.5 million provided by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) to the Secretariat to the OECS for the Sustainable Energy Technical Assistance (SETA) Project.
Objectives and Outputs of SETA
The general objective of the SETA project is “to provide the guiding framework and create an enabling environment to support the efficient and sustainable production and use of energy in the Member Countries of the OECS”.
Specifically, SETA activities are delivering:
• an OECS Sub-Regional Energy Efficiency Strategy complemented by National Energy Efficiency Strategies and Action Plans as part of an overall cost reduction programme;
• model legislation including regulations and rules for energy management in the OECS within the context of the OECS Economic Union that foster the implementation of initiatives for the efficient and sustainable production and utilization of energy; and
• a public education and awareness programme that will address the knowledge, attitudes and practice of the general public within the OECS as it pertains to energy efficiency.
Update on Activities
• The consultancy to deliver an OECS Sub-Regional Energy Efficiency Strategy complemented by National Energy Efficiency Strategies and Action Plans commenced in June 2012. As part of the consultancy process, the consultants facilitated two Sub-Regional Workshops in Saint Lucia during July 2012 and February 2013, along with national stakeholder consultations in each OECS Member Country to inform the development of proposed strategies and action plans. The consultants are expected to deliver their final recommendations to the OECS Member Countries by June 2013.
• The consultancy to deliver model legislation including regulations and rules for energy management commenced in February 2013. The consultants conducted their inception mission to Saint Lucia which included attendance to the Second Sub-Regional Workshop to develop the OECS Sub-Regional Energy Efficiency Strategy complemented by National Energy Efficiency Strategies and Action Plans. This consultancy is expected to be completed by February 2014.
• The consultancy to deliver a Public Education and Awareness Programme on Energy Efficiency commenced in September 2012. The consultants carried out baseline surveys in OECS Member States to determine the knowledge, attitudes and practice (KAP) of the general public within the OECS as it pertains to renewable energy and energy efficiency. The results of these KAP surveys, along with a proposed awareness strategy and national awareness action plans, were presented at a Sub-Regional Stakeholder Workshop organized in Saint Lucia during February 2013. The final phase of this consultancy will launch the public education and awareness campaign over a period of six months until end first quarter 2014.
