Page 24 - CARILEC CE Journal CENOV 2021

Diversity and inclusion are in Canada's DNA. The Climate Ventures team fast-tracks
early-stage innovators developing and implementing solutions to the climate crisis.

Canada - a huge, snow-covered country full of polar Canada and the Caribbean can continue supporting
bears and moose. What could it possibly have in each other in addressing these challenges.
common with the Caribbean, known for beautiful
beaches, coral reefs, and coconut groves? Looking The close collaboration between Canada and the
beyond these stereotypes, there are more similarities Caribbean in the Renewable Energy drive is evident
than you may think, particularly since both regions in the development of projects across the region,
are now on a journey of energy transition, working including solar installations, battery energy storage
to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels and move systems, microgrids, energy efficiency programs,
to cleaner energy systems. automation of substations, bioenergy projects, and
efficient street lighting, to name just a few. This
Canada has an economy which has historically proves that there is continuous leverage of the best
been reliant on natural resources, with oil and gas of the Caribbean Energy potential and local industry,
extraction and mining playing major roles. While and the technology and expertise of Canadian
Canada is working hard to decarbonize these partners.
industries, which is key to the global transition
to clean energy, there is a real threat of stranded
assets against changing global trends. Likewise,
the Caribbean, which depends heavily on fossil fuel “Canada has given the cleantech industry
imports, is conscious of the volatility of that market a great environment to experiment,
and the urgent need to transition to low carbon and discover, and grow. We have an amazing
renewable energy. pool of talent and innovators, along with
the investment to accelerate solutions.
Electrical utilities in the Caribbean and in Canada are However, great ideas need to be shared, and
facing ubiquitous challenges in their transition from we have a generation of companies now
centralized, carbon-heavy grids to decentralized, with proven products and services that can
renewable systems. How should intermittent supply be adapted across the world. I’m excited for
be managed? How should multiple energy sources be the future of our cleantech companies and
brought to the grid and their use optimized? How can am confident we’ll see their solutions make
efficiency be fostered, both in demand and supply? an impact globally.”
How can an energy system that is resilient to extreme - Jeanette Jackson, CEO of Foresight
weather events be built? With a history of friendship Cleantech Accelerator Centre.
and understanding, it is cogent to consider how

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