You may view the recording of the event for the four days on the links below:
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4


You may view the day-wise presentations here.

You may view the recording of the event here.
You may view the Concept Note and Agenda here.
You may view the Event Summary here.

Presentations delivered during the Webinar

You may view the recording of the event here.

You may view the Concept Note and Agenda here.

You may view the Event Summary here.

Presentations delivered during the webinar

Scene setting presentation_Global Wind Energy Council

Xodus Group

Sembcorp

Caribbean Development Bank

The World Bank

CCREEE

Tuvalu

You may view the recording of of the various webinars as below:

14 and 15 December 2021: Webinar 1

12 and 13 April 2022: Webinar 2: Day 1 Day 2

20 and 21 April 2022: Webinar 3: Day 1 Day 2

You may view the presentation as below:

Webinar 1

Webinar 2: Day 1 Day 2

Webinar 3: Day 1 Day 2

This event sought to bring together High Level Representatives of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) from the Atlantic, Indian Ocean and South China Sea (AIS), Caribbean and Pacific regions, development partners; regional organizations  and other key stakeholders to deliberate on concrete solutions and  to identify significant roles and contributions to supporting SIDS energy transformation policies and implementation. The event was also preceded by the signing of the MOU between IRENA – AOSIS, to make clear the intention to strengthen the partnership and to show commitment to SIDS.

You may view the recording of the event here.

SIDS are among the most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change and yet are often dependent on imported fossil fuels for their energy needs. The event was a moment of recognition for clean energy transformation in SIDS so far and a catalyst for action when it comes to project financing. In particular, the event celebrated SIDS for making firm climate commitments as well as funders, including the UAE, for the many initiatives that have supported the clean energy transition in SIDS. In addition to SIDS representatives, who were given the centre stage, the event brought together key stakeholders who have championed the clean energy transition by developing renewable energy solutions in SIDS.

You may find the agenda of the event here.

You may view the recording of the event here.

The aim of the Launch is to introduce the Implementation Plan, identify existing resources and initiatives, and ensure transparency in the planning and implementation of activities that contribute to the achievement of Jamaica's NDC targets.

You may view the recording of the event here.

The Challenge is a call to action for governments, the private sector, development partners, financiers, and households to work to increase the diffusion of solar energy across the region by the end of 2023, in the first instance.

You may view the recording of the event here.

The Implementation took place during the 2021 Regional Climate Weeks in Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia-Pacific, and Africa. The aim of this event was to have an open and solutions-oriented exchange between national government representatives (e.g. from implementation agencies, line ministries, etc.) and non-Party stakeholders (e.g. businesses, cities, subnational regions, investors and civil society) in the region whose areas of expertise can support countries in implementing their NDCs, NAPs and long-term strategies. By matching the priorities and needs outlined in national plans with the options for policies, technologies and solutions described in the Climate Action Pathways, this framed the collaboration around shared sectoral goals and a common purpose. It also provided opportunities on how to adapt and refine the Climate Action Pathways and Race-to-Zero Breakthroughs outcomes to bring in the regional context and perspectives.

Representatives from the public and private sector, development partners and other stakeholders met virtually on 13 May 2021, 14.00 to 16.00 GMT -4, to discuss the Energy Transition in Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) as part of a series of Implementation Lab events that are taking place during the 2021 Regional Climate Weeks in Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia-Pacific and Africa, hosted by The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in partnership with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Bank.

The Energy Segment of the Latin America and Caribbean Implementation Lab was co-organized by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), as the coordinator of the SIDS Lighthouses Initiative and the High-level Champions, with the primary aim of fostering open and solutions-oriented dialogue between national government representatives and non-Party stakeholders to identify opportunities to enhance the implementation of climate action through energy transition. In particular, the outcomes of the Net-Zero Investment Lab1 event that was held in March 2021, formed the basis of the topics of discussion for the Breakout Session of the Implementation Lab.

You may find the key outcomes of the meeting here

Coordinated and facilitated by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the SIDS LHI is a framework for action to support SIDS in their energy transformation toward renewables, through the implementation of the enhanced NDCs. The SIDS LHI brings together 36 SIDS as well as 29 other partners, including regional and international organisations, development agencies, private companies, research institutes and non-profit organisations. The Climate Investment Platform (CIP), launched by IRENA, together with SEforAll and UNDP, in cooperation with the Green Climate Fund, aims to leverage partnerships to provide integrated and streamlined support to scale up climate action and translate the energy component of national climate targets in their NDCs into concrete investments. Progress has been made in recent years on increasing renewable energy deployment in SIDS, but additional investments and private sector engagement is crucial to accelerate the energy transformation at scale. This will also enable the decarbonisation of end-use sectors, such as transport and buildings, as well as ensuring the low-emission, climate resilient future of SIDS towards net-zero.

Through the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action, IRENA coordinates, in co-operation with the High-level Climate Champions, the development of a pathway to 1.5°C. This work is complemented by the Champions’ Race to Zero campaign, a global campaign to rally leadership and support from businesses, cities, regions, investors for a healthy, resilient, zero carbon recovery that prevents future threats, creates decent jobs, and unlocks inclusive, sustainable growth. Particular emphasis of the campaign is on the mobilisation of investment and finance to support ambitious climate action in developing countries, seeking to kick-off an ambition loop of mutually reinforcing public and private action for the needed trillions of dollars of investment.

In this context, IRENA and the High-level Climate Champions hosted this event to support the accelerated mobilisation of investments and finance for energy transitions in SIDS for improved livelihoods and poverty eradication. By demonstrating the benefit and need of greater participation in SIDS’ energy transitions of the private sector, public entities and international financial and expert institutions, the event demonstrated how leveraging existing platforms, such as SIDS Lighthouses, can help meet the priorities and needs of SIDS.

Moderated by

• Selwin Hart, Special Adviser and Assistant Secretary-General for Climate Action, United Nations.

You may view the concept note of the event here.

You may view the presentation delivered at the event here.

You may view the summary of the key outcomes of the event here.

Meeting Recording:

Watch the webinar recording: 

Despite all this, climate change continue to pose an existential threat to SIDS, making adaptation, resilience, and disaster risk reduction a priority. Most of the island countries submitted ambitious mitigation measures mainly by increasing renewable energy generation capacity, energy efficiency, and the electrification of the transport sector.

In the first NDC submissions, IRENA analysis showed that all 14 Pacific SIDS mentioned renewables, whilst 13 of the Pacific SIDS had quantified renewable energy targets in their NDCs that equated to 1.979 GW. A total of USD5.2 billion will be needed by 2030 to implement these NDC RE targets, of which 93 percent will be conditional that would need external investment. This scenario would definitely change given the ongoing NDC enhancement currently being undertaken by SIDS. From the Pacific, Marshall Islands, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Tonga have already submitted their enhanced NDCs.

IRENA, in partnership with UK COP26 Presidency and the Regional NDC Pacific Hub, will be hosting a one-day, virtual dialogue on 23 February 2021, 7:00-9:00 Gulf Standard Time (GST) on the COP26 Climate Dialogue in the Pacific. The dialogue will act as a forum for cross-regional discussion on driving and building momentum on climate action in the lead up to COP26, through enhanced NDCs, understanding of the domestic energy sector transformations and through long-term Low Emission Development Strategies (LT-LEDS), and exploring the vital role that energy transformation is contributing to the Pacific SIDS recovery efforts from COVID-19, climate action and sustainable development.

The dialogue will aim to encourage more ambitious climate action, provide an avenue for the Pacific SIDS to share national and regional experiences on the transformation of their energy systems, to broaden the knowledge and understanding of the role of NDCs in achieving the long-term goals of the Paris Agreement, and demonstrate practical approaches to green recovery, mobilizing investment that contributes to the Pacific SIDS building back better and stronger.

You may view the concept note and agenda of the event here.

Meeting Recording:

https://irena-org.zoom.us/rec/share/BaS3gJcChc34ChrXHXbb8FJD0BjMTn8NFCrsYgxMtPin4Z01sU6RJVVGJy26nbeq.N1a5XN7aObxoBwKR

Access Passcode: NDg=%eR5

You may view the presentation delivered at the event here.

Please find the Press release here.

This webinar was an initiative by IRENA to support Small island developing states in their transition to a sustainable energy future. It aims to outreach our publication “Transforming small island states” and share results and recommendations of some of the grid assessment studies conducted in the recent past for Islands.

International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has established various initiatives in support of SIDS to accelerate their energy transformation. These include technical studies, technical advisory, and capacity building programs, in engagement with local and regional organizations, in the broad spectrum of integration of renewable energy technologies.

The specific areas include, but are not limited to, technical grid assessment studies, grid operation and management of power systems with high shares of VRE. The studies reveal the technical constraints in the system to integrating VRE and hence recommend solutions to mitigate these challenges considering system specificities, available resources and ensure a secure and reliable power system operation.

Work done in the past include grid assessment studies for the power systems of islands in Antigua and Barbuda, Palau, Kiribati, Cook Islands, Vanuatu, Samoa, Fiji and Dominican Republic. In 2019 IRENA brought out the publication “Transforming Small-island Power systems- Technical planning studies for the integration of variable renewables”, to support SIDS in the process of planning for the integration of high shares of VRE. It discusses the VRE integration planning and the technical studies required to analyze and quantify such challenges, including how to carry out these studies and the methodologies to be applied to resolve the identified issues.

You may view the presentations delivered at the event here.

You may view the recording of the event here.

Ministers, high-level representatives of Small Island States (SIDS) along with partner countries, and multilateral institutions met virtually on 15 September 2020, 8:00 – 9:30 EST, to discuss Energy Transformation in SIDS towards Sustainable and Climate resilient Post-Pandemic Recovery as part of the webinar series of the UN Climate Action Summit’s Energy Transition Track . The series were organized by the Governments of Denmark and Ethiopia as co-chairs of the Energy Track.

The meeting was co-organized by Denmark and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) as the coordinator of the SIDS Lighthouses Initiative that is operationalizing the Ambitious SIDS Climate Package. The representatives engaged in interactive discussions on expediting energy transition in SIDS and ensuring that they build climate resilient future whilst recovering from the COVID-19. Both co-chairs, H.E. Tomas Anker Christensen, Climate Ambassador of Denmark and Mr Francesco La Camera, Director-General of IRENA, highlighted the importance of international cooperation and partnership in enhancing SIDS energy transformation.

You may find the Summary of the discussions at the following link.

Here is the video link: Link

With a view to realising the ambitious renewable energy targets envisioned by SIDS that will strengthen SIDS resilience, and stimulating economic recovery and sustainable development in the post pandemic period, the discussion offered a platform for SIDS governments and development partners to reflect on effective means for reinforcing action towards accelerating energy transformation and ensuring energy security of SIDS, while aligning the pandemic response with the sustainable development and climate objectives. Special emphasis was given to renewable energy solutions in the sectors that have been severely affected by the pandemic, such as, health, water, agrifood, tourism, fisheries, transport. The discussion also incorporated the outcomes of the PAF, the progress of the Ambitious SIDS Climate Action Summit Package, which is being operationalised through the SIDS LHI.

Open to ministers and high-level officials from the SIDS governments, representatives of the regional and subregional organisations, development partners, international organisations, international financial institutions and other stakeholders, this virtual High-Level Dialogue included a panel discussion, with dedicated time for participants’ comments, questions and answers.

For more background, the Agenda and List of participants, visit IRENA website. 

Watch the webinar recording: 

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are amongst the most vulnerable countries in the world when it comes to climate change. At the same time, they are amongst the most ambitious when it comes to climate action. The progress of the energy transition in SIDS was the focus of several events for IRENA during COP25 where delegates gathered to discuss facilitation of planning and financing of renewable energy projects in SIDS.

IRENA launched the SIDS Lighthouses Initiative in 2014 to support efforts in scaling up the renewable energy transition in small islands countries. Through this initiative, IRENA provides platforms to support: the development of policy frameworks; the identification of potential renewable energy resources; project facilitation; capacity building; and helping island countries find financial and project development support.

Amjad Abdulla, the Director General at the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Water of Maldives, discussed the importance of this work for his country. He pointed out the need to have strong enabling environments in order to build the confidence of investors. He emphasized the importance of finding a balance between communicating ambition and vulnerability. To put it simply, doomsday scenarios do not inspire confidence in investors. The model being employed by Indian Ocean countries, the Caribbean and many in the Pacific is to focus on the concept of resilience.

Christian Lohberger, CEO of Astra Solar and advisor to Papua New Guinea noted that PNG was the first country to submit an NDC after Paris calling for 100% renewable energy by 2050. But while the country has a lot of natural resources, it does not have the necessary policies in place to achieve its targets. He reiterated the importance of having strong policy and regulatory frameworks to attract investment. Omar Ramírez Tejada, Environmental Advisor to the President of the Dominican Republic, echoed these comments and also emphasized the importance of political stability – peace, in other word – for attracting investment.

The roundtable aimed at showcasing concrete lessons from project development in the Pacific and highlighted best practices and lessons learnt from the project development and investors. Projects included the Tonga Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Project, implemented by Sunergise New Zealand and funded by the Asian Development Bank, the Oil Search Project (Biomass & Solar PV) in Papua New Guinea for which the International Finance Corporation is considering providing financing, the Akuo Solar PV Energy Project in New Caledonia and the Sustainable Energy Financing Project that is being implemented by Fiji’s Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, Department of Energy and funded by the World Bank.

This week-long event builds on the previous capacity building activities that the utilities have undertaken in the design of bankable power purchase agreements and is expected to contribute to the improvement and enhancement of the power utilities capabilities and regulators to design and negotiate bankable contracts. Its ultimate goals is to contributing to effective commitment of private capital to the deployment of renewable energy projects in the Pacific SIDS. This is also in line with the Pacific Energy 4th Pacific Regional Energy and Transport Officials Resolutions and Minister’s Outcomes in strengthening Pacific SIDS capacity to accelerate renewable energy transition.

The event has been well attended by participants from government ministries and departments responsible for the renewable energy development mandate, 12 power utilities, 5 regulators, 4 private sector and 7 development partners.

A training workshop jointly led by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and IRENA – Supporting the development of bankable bioenergy projects in Cuba – will bring together governments, the private sector, civil society, local authorities and other international organisations to develop ambitious green solutions for a better energy transformation. Cuba’s pursuit of a sustainable energy future relies on the deployment of bankable renewable energy projects with a major share from harnessing bioenergy.

Co-organised by ECLAC and IRENA and in coordination with Cuba’s relevant ministries and state-owned companies such as AZCUBA, the workshop will provide insights on key issues on best practices for the development of bankable bioenergy projects in Cuba and the Caribbean region.

IRENA provides a suite of project facilitation platforms that help local stakeholders to address challenges on the path towards sustainable development with clean and affordable energy. Based on the IRENA Project Navigator for bioenergy projects available in Spanish, critical issues related to the bankability of bioenergy projects will be reviewed, with a focus on the technical and financial considerations for the preparation of detailed project proposals.

The Ministry of the Environment, Japan (MoEJ) and IRENA have jointly organized workshops and training programs since 2015 to promote renewable energy deployment in Small Island Developing States. Training workshops were organised in 2015, (Malaysia), 2016 (Fiji) and 2017 (Japan, Fiji) on the theme: “Supporting Renewable Energy Deployment through Developing Project Proposals to Access Climate Finance” for SIDS by the MoEJ and IRENA. The key issues regarding accessing climate finance were elaborated on in the workshops and participants were made aware of various climate finance entities for accessing finance for their national projects. Based on the results of these events, the need for continuous capacity building for government officials, private sector, financing institutions and key stakeholders on accessing the available financing options by proposing bankable projects has been identified.
MOEJ and IRENA continue the efforts to address these issues by organizing a three-day training program from 28-20 January 2019 in Male, Maldives to support the development of project proposals to access climate finance by various SIDS stakeholders through various entities including local banks and climate finance entities.

The event brought together key experts and decision-makers from the region to help advance and initiate regional cooperation for geothermal energy. The dialogue was followed by a training workshop that introduced the UNFC classification as part of a project currently undertaken by IRENA, IGA and the World Bank’s ESMAP, under the umbrella of the Global Geothermal Alliance. Programme and summary report are available on the OECS’s website here.

The workshop’s aim was to identify factors and strategies to increase renewable energy penetration in SIDS.
The event targeted senior officers from energy ministries and public utilities in the region who are responsible for planning and strategy of the energy sector.  The overall goal was to discuss how to improve the financial and policy frameworks as well as how to strengthen the local capacities. In addition, the meeting examined the role that renewable energy plays in assisting countries in achieving NDCs targets and the nexus between renewable energy and food, water, and health.

Workshop agenda and presentations delivered during the discussions

Workshop agenda

DAY 1

Session 1
1) How to Increase Resiliency in the Electricity Sector. Andrew Thorington, Carilec
2) Innovation to Solve Energy Poverty. Adam Eberwein, EarthSpark International
3) Resiliency Plan. Andrew St. Hilaire, BVI Electricity Corporation
4) System Planning Approach. Neha Mukhi, The World Bank Group

Session 2
5) Access Funding in the Seventh Cycle. Seleha Lockwood, IRENA
6) Caribbean Climate Smart Accelerator. Dr. Neil Parsan, Caribbean Climate-Smart Accelerator
7) IRENA’s Work on NDC Analysis and Project Implementation. Toshiaki Nagata, IRENA
8) RE and NDC Targets, the Saint Lucia Approach. Kurt Inglis, Ministry of Infrastructure, Port, Energy & Labour, Government of Saint Lucia
9) Sustainable Energy and NDC Implementation in the Caribbean. Judith Ephraim-Schmidt, Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)

Session 3
10) Introducing Smart Community Aruba. Robert-Jans Moons, TNO Caribbean
11) Renewable Energy Nexus in the Caribbean Context. Willard Phillips, UNECLAC
12) Smart Health Care Facilities. Shalini Jagnarine, Pan American Health Organization

DAY 2

Session 4
1) E-Mobility in CARICOM. Curtis Boodoo, The University of Trinidad and Tobago
2) Redefining the Future of Transportation on Aruba. Ryan R. Falconi, ELMAR
3) Regional Efforts Towards Low Carbon Shipping in the Caribbean. Vivian Rambarath-Parasram, The University of Trinidad and Tobago
4) Transitioning Pacific Islands Maritime Transport. Micronesian Center for Sustainable Transportation

Session 5
5) Era of RE Shared Economy. Khadija Usher, Belize Electricity Limited
6) Grid Integration of Renewables. Dr. Sanjay Bahadoorsingh, The University of the West Indies
7) Operation of Power Systems with High Shares of Variable Renewables. Manuel Coxe, IRENA
8) Dominica Geothermal Risk Mitigation Project. Elvira Morella, The World Bank Group

Session 6
9) Geothermal Energy and OTEC Opportunities for the Caribbean. Judith Ephraim-Schmidt, Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)
10) Supporting Geothermal Energy Deployment. Ellsworth Dacon, Ministry of National Security, Air & Seaport Development, Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
11) The Saint Lucia Geothermal Development Project. Charlin Bodley, Department of Infrastructure, Ports & Energy, Government of Saint Lucia
12) Tropical Energy Aruba. Diego Acevedo, Bluerise Ocean Thermal Energy

The conference served as a space for knowledge sharing, within small island nation community (developing islands in particular -SIDS) by showcasing existing climate financing mechanisms, tailored to support Renewable Energy investments in small island nations and concrete projects already implemented that have leveraged innovative mechanisms to bridge climate finance, and lessons learned from implementation.

For more information, and registration visit the website: https://www.renewableenergyconference.info

The workshop looked at ways to improve conditions to finance and implement renewable energy project in the Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles and La Réunion. The workshop was mainly composed of a training based on Project Navigator with additional contribution from other IRENA project facilitation platforms such as Global Atlas and Marketplace. It facilitated discussions on how to overcome implementation obstacles that can be of a policy, regulatory, funding or capacity building nature. The agenda included sessions promoting partnerships, new technology and recent cost developments, and case studies presented by project owners and developers.

Experts from industry and development partners presented practical applications of island renewable energy projects in SIDS with the aim to identify what the key enablers for the successful replication in the Indian Ocean SIDS and in other regions as well. The workshop targeted participants with a mix of public and private backgrounds including local project developers, public sector employees, local utility regulators, electric utilities, academia any other relevant project stakeholders who were trained based on the gaps identified by the SIDS Lighthouses Initiative.

Under the framework of the SIDS Lighthouses Initiative and co-organized with the University of Tasmania's Centre for Renewable Energy and Power Systems, the University of Hawaii's Natural Energy Institute, the Maui Economic Development Board, and the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission, IRENA has organized a technical workshop on project development and financing for Caribbean and Pacific SIDS stakeholders during IPS Connect 2018, a non-profit renewable energy forum which brings together utilities, market participants and academia from island communities that are active in the field of remote area power supply and isolated power systems.

The workshop was composed of a training based on Project Navigator with contribution from international experts from the industry presenting applications of island renewable energy projects in SIDS with the aim to identify key enablers for the successful replication in the Caribbean and Pacific Small Islands. It relied on the extensive knowledge and experience of the host organizations to bring a pragmatic approach to integration of new technologies within island systems. In addition, it was complemented by real-life experiences from various islands and featured a showcase of recent developments in solar, wind, and battery storage in the unique setting that Hawaii provides, as a leader in renewable energy deployment on islands.

More information

SIDS Lighthouses Initiative 2.0 aims to enable SIDS energy systems’ transformation, leverage investment support, strengthen climate resilience, and contribute to the attainment of the sustainable development goals in SIDS.

Since the launch of the SIDS Lighthouses Initiative (LHI), the renewable energy uptake in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) has been impressive. The strong political commitment of SIDS, and the remarkable cost reductions in technologies such as solar PV and onshore wind, coupled with the support of a wide range of partners, have made renewables an affordable solution for countries with limited financing and technical capabilities.

The initial LHI targets for 2020 in terms of installed capacity (100 megawatts of solar PV, 20 megawatts of wind power) and mobilised funding (USD 500 million) have been met and exceeded three years ahead of schedule. Building on the success of the LHI and following the consultative process undertaken with all LHI partners, this event was instrumental in drawing together political leadership and in launching a more ambitious phase of the Initiative, LHI 2.0, which aims to enable SIDS energy systems’ transformation, leverage investment support, strengthen climate resilience, and contribute to the attainment of the sustainable development goals in SIDS.

This event, organised by CARILEC in partnership with IRENA and other partners, will gather researchers, thought leaders, utility and energy professionals and vendors and provide them with a unique platform to delve deeply into renewable energy and resilience from both a global and a regional perspective.  More information