Cayman must shift away from its reliance on “expensive polluting fossil fuels” and move to reliable, clean, affordable renewable energy, Premier Wayne Panton said this week.
The Minister for Sustainability and Climate Resiliency was speaking during the government’s virtual forum on the draft National Energy Policy 2023-2050 on 9 Aug.
Cayman’s climate, sustainability and energy chiefs gathered for the hour-long live online broadcast which included presentations, a panel discussion and questions from the public.
During his opening speech, Panton reminded that the former National Energy Policy 2017-2037 contained the requirement for reviews every five years.
This was to make sure goals, strategies and implementation plans stay up to date as progress is made, and allow for adjustments if targets are not met, the premier explained.
The new policy contains the results of the first five-year review, and the dates have been changed to 2023-2050 to align with newly proposed targets.
“While a great deal has been achieved over the last five years, perhaps more so than some of us realise, we know beyond a doubt that we need to pick up the pace,” Panton said.
“We absolutely need to make more progress on this, and especially now that energy is a very specific issue that is at the forefront of people’s minds.”
Cost of living
The premier said the public is obviously concerned about cost of living, with rising temperatures leading to rising utility costs.
“It is absolutely getting more and more expensive to keep our homes cool, to keep the lights on and keep our appliances running,” he added.
Panton said that over the past year and a half, the government has tried to address the mounting cost of living through various relief programmes.
But he added that short-term interventions must be combined with medium and long-term initiatives to enhance energy security, increase climate resiliency and provide clean, affordable power.
“We have to shift away from a reliance on expensive polluting fossil fuels to reliable, clean, affordable renewable energy,” he said.
“Our three islands in the sun, with our soft fresh breezes are blessed with an abundance of potential natural resources to tap into and convert to clean energy.”
Ambitious targets
The premier spoke of the policy’s major new goals of 100% renewable energy and 100% greenhouse gas emission reductions from electricity supply by 2050.
Other goals include all new light, medium and heavy-duty vehicle sales to come from electric vehicles and a 90% reduction in emissions from ground transport by 2050.
“I know that these are ambitious targets, but they are critically important to our energy security, maintaining a reasonable cost of living, and improving our environment,” he said.
Panton said that when he looks ahead 27 years from now to the year 2050, he knows what he wants to see.
“I want to see a Cayman Islands which isn’t continuously at the mercy of volatility in international energy markets or fuel markets,” he said.
“I want to see a Cayman powered by wind, by solar energy, possibly by wave energy – all things that our Creator has blessed us with.
“A Cayman where we do not have to dread the energy bill coming every month. At least we will have more certainty as to what it looks like.
“A Cayman that has gone from being one of the highest emitters of greenhouse gases in the Caribbean to one of the most sustainable countries in the world.”
The draft policy can be read and reviewed at www.gov.ky/nationalenergypolicy.
Feedback can be sent via email or in a survey before 31 August.
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Sounds great. Can we start with a sensible CORE program. So many people I have spoken to want to instal solar but the current rates are not sufficient incentive. CUC needs to be given an incentive too. Without financial incentives behavior won’t change.
What CUC is doing with their new program is buying solar energy you generate and selling it back to you at double what they paid you. Result is a 50% credit. That is simply obscene.
If they are really serious about it, thye can quit proteting CUC’s monopoly and open up unlimited solar. Solar makes economic and environmental sense in Cayman.
If every roof top in Cayman were covered in solar panels CUC could become a highly PROFITABLE, sustainable electricity storage and distribution service, not a fossil-fuel based electricity generating service contributing to global boiling.
If Iceland can get to 99% of its electricity sourced from renewable energy right now (as a country that had been almost bankrupt in 2009) wouldn’t it be wonderful if Cayman was one of the first countries to get to 100% renewable sources ? We do not have the luxury of time to wait until 2050.
Great to have goals for the environment and need to more roof top solar. But the grandstanding by the panel and unrealistic goals will cost the all energy users dearly. In order, produce 1 Mw of utility grade solar then land base is 6 acres. In order to meet the goals you must over build and storage the energy in batteries. The Peak Demand around 105 Mw mean 630 acres of the country will needed for the hours between 10 am -5 pm. Over build, you need have 2.5 x that amount or another 1260 acres for a total 1890 acres of solar panels. Are you ready for this grand cayman?
This does not include the increase of demand from EV’s which potentially could lead to 50% increase in demand. That is another 900 acres of the land gone.