Castries, Saint Lucia, September 21, 2021: The penultimate conference in CARILEC’s roster of 2021 events will merge regional and global industry leaders representing policy, regulation, academic research, renewable technologies and utility operations around one (virtual) table, to examine various topics under the theme: “Remodelling the Future: Stronger. Greener. Smarter.” The regional electric energy Association has slated September 29th and 30th for the hosting of this year’s Renewable Energy (RE) & Smart Grid Conference & Tradeshow, which will offer the latest expert insights, innovative technology solutions and opportunities for in-depth exchanges of best-practices and experiences. The overriding mandate of the conference is the advancement of the sustainable integration of Renewable Energy and the implementation of Smart Grids in Caribbean countries. CARILEC has pioneered and facilitated several initiatives in this regard, including the establishment, rapid development (in terms of number of members and content) and successful operation of the now internationally renowned online platform: CARILEC Renewable Energy Community (CAREC), as well as the successful hosting of several RE and Smart Grid conferences and capacity building sessions.
Key presentations featured in this year’s event include: ‘Making the Utility Case for Integrated Resource and Resilience Plans’ by Mr. Jean- Michel Parle, Generation Expansion Engineer at the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE); ‘The Energy Transition (ETA): Opportunities for Capacity Development in Electric Utilities’, by Mr. David Gumbs, Principal for Africa, Islands, and Southeast Asia Program at the Rocky Mountain Institute; ‘Island Case Studies: How Energy Management Systems Help Optimise Microgrids’, by Mr. Luke Witmer, General Manager of Data Science at Wärtsilä Energy; and ‘The Changing Role of the Smart Grid from Passive Power Distribution Infrastructure to Active and Agile Broker of Energy Flows’, by Mr. Mark Ossel, Member of the OSGP Alliance’s Board. The conference will also feature panel discussions with leading industry experts, covering a range of trending RE topics, such as: Power System Flexibility, Planning for RE Expansion, Battery Storage and Microgrids.
CARILEC’s Executive Director, Dr. Cletus Bertin, offered further insight into this year’s conference theme:
“Creating a stronger, greener, and smarter energy future, will require substantial remodelling of several key aspects of the energy landscape in the region. Moreover, any remodelling exercise requires careful analysis and understanding of the present ‘model’, taking note of any inherent structural or systemic weaknesses and the identification of opportunities for improvement and rebirth, fuelled by a mindset open to learning new pathways, innovation, creativity, and persistence. This Conference seeks to engage participants in rich and meaningful dialogue on several key design considerations for the required ‘remodelling’ of the electric energy sector in the region, as well as implementation considerations which will usher in a stronger, greener, and smarter future, for all peoples of the Caribbean region.”
CARILEC’s 2021 Renewable Energy (RE) & Smart Grid Conference & Tradeshow’s is supported by: Country Partner: Canada High Commission, Gold Sponsor: SOL Écolution, Silver Sponsor: Tantalus, Associate Partner: OSGP Alliance, Supporting Partner: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ), and Supporting Sponsors: Global Smart Energy Federation (GSEF), India Smart Grid Forum (ISGF), and Island Innovation. For more information on this upcoming conference, visit: https://www.carilec.org/event/renewable-energy-and-smart-grid-conference-and-tradeshow-2021/.
Attendees at a previous RE Conference in 2015, in Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe.
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