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Cooperation of Caribbean states needed for regional geothermal development

Cooperation of Caribbean states needed for regional geothermal development Site of Well MON-01, Montserrat, Caribbean (source: Montserrat government)
Alexander Richter 26 Oct 2016

Caribbean island nations need to cooperate on geothermal development in the region, as they are too small and weak individually to really push development.

Reported from Antigua, the Prime Minister of St Maarten has called for “joint development” of geothermal energy in the Caribbean, as many states look for ways to reducing their dependence on fossil fuel.

William V Marlin said while several of the islands in the Caribbean have geothermal energy potential, it wouldn’t make sense of all of them to get into production.

“If we would tap into one or two of those countries and jointly develop the geothermal energy in the Caribbean, we can say good-bye to fossil fuels,” Marlin told reporters on Tuesday, as reported locally.

Geothermal energy potential has already been confirmed in several islands, including Nevis and Dominica. Antigua & Barbuda has also announced its intention to study whether the resource is available here and in sufficient quantities.

But Marlin told his regional counterparts “we sit here with or hands folded” saying, “it is expensive.”

In the past, there have been discussions on an electricity transmission infrastructure connecting the island states of the Eastern Caribbean, but we are not sure if this is still being an option.

Source: Antigua Observer