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countries that mostly or fully rely on coal-based power consumption through well-designed energy efficiency
generation have higher GEFs . For comparison, the measures, while at the same time offering new
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USA had an average GEF of 0.45 t CO eq/MWh in business-models for utilities. Energy management,
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2020, China 0.56 and India 0.71. Countries like the UK flexible generation and smart orchestration of
or France on the other hand reached an average GEF demand and supply can all contribute to further
of 0.25 and 0.04 t CO eq/MWh in 2020, mostly due to increasing the decarbonization and the overall
el
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the diversification of their power generation mix, as efficiency of our energy systems.
well as through the high utilization of nuclear energy. On the global front in recent years, engineers,
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Science and technology will have the biggest role to entrepreneurs, and politicians have developed
play in handling climate change, as well as assessing a multitude of innovative technologies, business
measures being put in place to reduce carbon concepts and effective policy measures which allow
emissions. Solutions and alternatives therefore do for a high share of intermittent RE without harming
exist. the security of supply and the affordability of energy.
RE technologies such as solar and wind energy are Additionally, sector policies have already outlined
already cost-competitive and have lower Levelized the pathway for sustainable energy transition in
Cost of Energy (LCOE) than many fossil-fuel-based the Caribbean. The remaining challenge on the
generation technologies in the Caribbean. The ground now consists of designing tailored solutions
intermittency of RE generation however creates a and mechanisms for practical implementation of
need for additional regulatory and technical measures theoretical examples and recommended approaches.
for grid flexibility that may lead to additional (fixed) This specifically includes the provision or enabling of
cost for grid operation. In our recently published financial instruments to overcome investment barriers
CARILEC Position Papers on Energy Transition , we for technologies that will contribute to affordable and
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stated the need for those costs to be reflected in stable energy costs in the long-term.
customer tariffs for more transparency and planning The aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis
purposes. However, not only does RE expansion compels us to reassess long-standing assumptions,
contribute to the need for new investments into the perceived barriers, and default decisions in a joint
grid, but also increasing energy consumption, the effort to seize this opportunity and to accelerate and
age of the grids in general and the need to make the push the progress for energy transition. Engineers,
grid more resilient towards an increased number of financial managers and decision-makers of utilities,
extreme weather events. Hence, in a way or partly, a suppliers and governmental institutions are called
share of these costs would also occur in a business- upon to jointly reformulate the future of their energy
as-usual-scenario without RE expansion. systems. Technical planning of new and resilient energy
To increase energy affordability, customers could infrastructure, as well as the related procurement will
effectively save money by reducing their electricity become increasingly complex, requiring more holistic

3 Typically, coal-based power generation leads to GEF of 0.9 – 1.2 t CO2eq/MWhel.
4 carbonfootprint.com: Country Specific Electricity Grid Greenhouse Gas Emission Factors, June 2020
5 https://www.carilec.org/white-position-papers/

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