Development of geothermal resources a priority in Dominica
Dominica, Caribbean (source: flickr/ boshamite, creative commons)
Alexander Richter
1 Nov 2013
Geothermal energy is a key national priority for the Caribbean island state of Dominica, as highlighted by its Prime Minister at a recent Geothermal Partners Development Forum held in September 2013. While key focus is to fuel local demand, it could also provide an electricity export opportunity for Dominica.
At the recent Geothermal Partners Development Forum held in Dominica in late September this year, Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, highlighted that geothermal is considered a national priority for the Caribbean island state.
He stated “that electricity generated from geothermal sources is set to lower the cost of energy. Benefits derived from geothermal energy generation are expected to extend beyond the domestic electricity market to that of energy export. ”
The country has invested around $13 million so far this year for the development activities, mainly drilling and site preparation work at this stage, on the project site in the Roseau Valley.
In total the Government of Dominica has invested around $31 million for the exploration phase of the project and is now pursuing the construction of a small-scale geothermal power plant which focuses on fuelling the local energy demand. But there are also plans for a larger plant, that could provide the possibility for Dominica to export electricity to neighbouring island states of Guadeloupe and Martinique, which are both French territories.
Source: Inside Dominica
