Belize is the twelfth richest nation in the world in water resources. None of the other agencies in the country had recognized the need to monitor and assess this valuable resource, so Kenrick developed a Hydrology Section. Stream flow and rainfall data were used to assess the hydroelectric potential of Belize. A hydroelectric generation facility was developed in western Belize in 1990. This run-of-the-river facility meets 30% of the electricity demand of the country which has helped stabilize prices somewhat as international fuel acquisition prices have spiked sharply during the past few years. This facility only operates during the dry season, as there is no reservoir. However, the electric utility has just received approval to build a dam behind the turbines to regulate the flow during the year. This will increase the productivity of the facility, as excess water can be stored during the rainy season to be used during the dry season. As part of its environmental compliance, the company has agreed to install a network of rain gauges, weather stations and hydrological stations to monitor weather and water conditions in the watershed. This will also contribute to the efficient operation of the facility, as more accurate data will be available on the amount of water entering the reservoir, the amount being lost and how much is expected in the future. The operators can then determine if they should release water or store more for later use.

Curacao undertook an extensive wind power study using anemometers and wind recorders. The data showed that there was a reliable source of wind energy to install a wind farm and this is now their main source of electrical energy.

Learn more about renewable energy in the Caribbean!

Back to top of this page