Belize continues to bet on energy efficiency
As part of a regional effort to improve energy efficiency in
CARICOM member states, the Ministry of Energy, Science & Technology
and Public Utilities (MESTPU) of Belize has partnered with the OAS
Department of Sustainable Development, and in cooperation with the
OAS Belize Office, launched the “Standards and Labelling” component
of the Energy for Sustainable Development in Caribbean Buildings
Project (ESD) during an event held from June 30 to July 2, 2015.
Energy Director of the MESTPU, Ambrose Tillet,
affirmed that “the OAS project will create an opportunity to pool a
greater mass of capabilities to deliver on the ambitious goals and
targets set out in the national sustainable energy strategy action
plan”. The three day event, held in Belmopan and Belize City,
allowed OAS specialists and external experts to consult
with stakeholders in Belize which products can enter the
market and which should be eliminated, in order to allow
consumers choosing products that use less energy. Expert
consultants from McGeown Associates and CLASP, renowned firms in the
field, participated in the event.
The project is part of the
Sustainable Energy Capacity Building Initiative (SECBI)
that is currently benefiting 15 countries in the region, through
nationally-tailored projects such as Belize’s “Towards the
Intensification of Energy Efficiency efforts in Government,
Businesses and Households in Belize.” SECBI is funded by the United
States Permanent Mission to the OAS through the Energy and Climate
Partnership of the Americas (ECPA).
Specifically, the project promotes the adaptation of minimum
energy performance standards for lighting, cooling, refrigeration
and industrial motors in the country. When completed, it is
anticipated that the project will: contribute to Belize’s
sustainable development by creating an enabling environment for
investments in, and utilization of, efficient and renewable energy
measures; create a platform for lower electricity rates; and
significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
One of the noteworthy conclusions of this initial visit is that the
project can serve as a “proof of concept” in promoting a modernized
energy sector in the Caribbean. The MESTPU has already advanced
concepts that will improve Belize’s energy footprint, and is
positioning the country as a reference for others in the region. In
this connection, the support of the OAS-SEDI will be pivotal in
helping to align many individual program elements into a
comprehensive model that can be adapted to serve each constituent,
as well as in facilitating the documentation and sharing of this
experience, thereby enhancing its potential to benefit the entire
Caribbean region.
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