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Climate - Mitigation of the climate change in the Caribbean

New energy technologies and policies

The production and use of energy is the leading source of humanity's greenhouse gas emissions. The combustion of coal, oil, and natural gas accounts for roughly 80% of all carbon dioxide emissions. Extracting and using fossil fuels also emits methane, some carbon dioxide, and large quantities of carbon monoxide (CO) and other air pollutants. The industrial sector accounts for 43% of the global carbon dioxide emissions from fossil-fuel combustion, the building sector 31%, transport 22% (and growing rapidly) and agriculture 4%. These energy-related emissions could be significantly reduced through a combination of new technologies and policies:

• Leaks and spills during the extraction and transport of fossil fuels can be minimized:

  • methane from coal mines and from natural-gas distribution system

  • natural-gas in oil fields

• Fiscal and tax policies can encourage the early introduction of new technologies:

  • incentives for investing in more energy-efficient technologies

  • taxing emissions or the carbon content of fuels

  • phasing out fossil-fuel subsidies

• The conversion efficiency of electric power plants can be raised:

  • combined cycle gas turbines (CCGTs)

• Power-plant emissions can also be reduced by switching to renewable sources:

  • small-hydro

    • Small Hydropower in Jamaica

    • Doña Julia Hydroelectric Project, Costa Rica

    • Matanzas Hydroelectric Project, Guatemala

  • biomass

    • Biomass technology in Jamaica

    • BEL/Maya Biomass Power Generation Project, Belize

    • Bio-Gen Biomass Power Generation Project, Honduras

  • wind

    • Wind Energy System in the Caribbean, John W. Whittingham

    • Wind Energy Can Save BL&P Millions, March-2003 by Wendy Burke in SIDSnet

    • Wind power and Guyana's energy needs, September 2002, by the Guyana Energy Agency

    • Wind Energy in Jamaica

    • Windpower Monthly

    • Aeroenergía S.A. Wind Facility, Costa Rica

  • solar

    • Solar Energy in Jamaica

    • CMRC Renewable Energy Project

    • Solar-Based Rural Electrification, Honduras

  • geothermal

    • Geothermal Energy in Jamaica

    • El Hoyo - Monte Galan Geothermal Project, Nicaragua

• Industry can further reduce its energy intensity while cutting production costs.

  • CO₂ emission reduction of a cement factory, El Salvador

• The residential and commercial sectors can adopt more energy-efficient technologies:

  • new building controls

  • passive solar design,

  • integrated building design

  • new chemicals for refrigeration and insulation

  • more efficient refrigerators and cooling and heating systems.

• Governments can remove barriers that slow the spread of low-emissions technologies.

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