The European Union’s (EU) voice in this country is becoming louder and more important.
EU ambassador to T&T Peter Cavendish, has hit the headlines of several national newspapers and did several one-on-one interviews with this newspaper in recent months covering a number of topics. With the Energy Conference in town, it’s a good time to reflect on the EU’s significant role in our energy transition.
The Irish agreed to sit with us for a one-on-one interview. The rooftop of the EU office in Port-of-Spain provided one of the most attractive views of the city’s skyline.
Since arriving in T&T in April, 2021 to take up the ambassadorship role, Cavendish has had an optimistic outlook for a country that has its financial and social challenges. His optimism runs deeper than the average diplomatic statements in keeping with international practice and protocols for the line of work he is in.
“The country has a dynamic of its own. It’s very intriguing. The quality of the educated human capital in this country is making the difference,” he said.
Several times across our conversation, he would refer to the “educated human capital”, which he believes will drive the nation towards a stronger, better future.
A large part of that future will also have to be greener.
The tone of the Energy Conference has shifted down the years from maximising the lucrative of oil and gas to transitioning from fossil fuels into greener, more sustainable forms of energy.
The EU, in no small way, has invested in this energy transition. On Monday, prime minister Dr Keith Rowley announced the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries in collaboration with National Energy and the EU will be conducting a National Wind Resource Assessment, to identify potential sites for wind farm development in T&T.
Cavendish was also present at the formal handover of the Main Ridge Visitor Centre solar installation to the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) on January 13.
It’s one of several energy transition projects the EU or the Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA) have invested in, and Cavendish believes this country is in the ideal position to pivot and transform its oil and gas dependency into energy efficiency.
“This country is actually the Rolls-Royce potentially in the future in the production of green hydrogen,” Cavendish said. He further explained, “You have unlimited solar resources here, unlimited wind resources, gas is going to remain and the technology for cleaner protection of fertilisers, ammonia and methanol is evolving there.”
The GCCA+ project encompasses four outputs including solar energy installation, capacity building and technical assistance, public awareness raising and donor communications and visibility. Despite the roll-out of several projects, the operationalisation and sustainability remain critical to T&T’s transition and Cavendish added, “That is where we like to invest in the technicians who make the installation and to make sure that their technical, professional knowledge and their technical human capital are fully adequate to maintain these installations going forward. We have had very good feedback from the quality of the technicians we have worked with.”
When the EU advertised its funding for solar installations, the body received 167 applications but could only award 12 people who had applied.
Cavendish is heartened by the response of those keen on helping T&T’s energy transition push.
That cleaner protection will prove to be significant for a country that exports fertilisers and ammonia to the EU.
The EU has cracked down on imports which are carbon-intensive.
According to Bloomberg, “Importers would have to register to receive authorisation to import goods, and they would pay a tax per tonne of carbon dioxide produced. These fees are intended to match those already applied within the EU, which are currently about 90 euros per ton.”
Cavendish says T&T may find itself having to adapt to these strict policies within two to four years. The GCCA has helped this country’s push towards such a target. The GCCA/GCCA+ provides support to poor developing countries most vulnerable to climate change, particularly the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Development States (SIDS).
The GCCA+ will come under the spotlight later this year, when, for the first time in eight years, the EU will host a summit with Latin American and Caribbean countries in July in Brussels which Cavendish says will provide the opportunity for a “deep and profound exchange” between EU leaders and leaders in this part of the world.
At a national level, Cavendish says while good strides have been made to begin facilitating energy transition, the private sector could play a bigger role.
The EU ambassador said, “We need corporate social responsibility to be engaged. All the small to medium to plus size have a corporate social responsibility. We also shouldn’t forget what is called equity. We need to engage all stakeholders in this so the corporate people have more outreach.”
Cavendish says the cost for businesses to operate in a greener way will be “infinitely lower than for an individual householder”.
He explained to the Business Guardian, “The government has been very active in terms of the energy industry and promoting a lot of benefits but the corporate sector should really engage and do more. We can’t expect any government anywhere in the world to do everything and the corporate sector has a social responsibility to engage and become leaders.”
Cavendish says the government must also engage the private sector in the thrust towards transitioning to a greener future for the nation. The EU is a major energy importer while T&T’s major exports are oil and gas but Cavendish insists both parties complement each other in more ways than one and the EU can be of great assistance in helping this oil-centred republic become a green capital of the globe.