‘Electrification of transport’ in focus in Barbados
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat will conduct a two-day Electric Vehicle (EV) workshop at the Barbados, Hilton Hotel on 20–21 June, followed by an EV Expo on 22 June at the Garfield Sobers Gymnasium.
The activities will be held with the support of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, through the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Technical Assistance (REETA) Programme, the Organisation of American States (OAS) and The University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus.
The two-day regional workshop is intended to jump-start the dialogue on how the Region will decrease fuel consumption by transitioning to electric and hybrid- electric cars.
The workshop will also identify technical and non-technical challenges that countries and businesses will experience during the transition period.
The Region needs a strategy to address the matter of consumption given the large sums of foreign exchange that CARICOM Member States spend to support their fossil fuel-based building and transport sectors.
It is with a sense of urgency that the development of a Regional Energy Efficiency Strategy was proposed and endorsed at the Sixtieth Special Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) on Energy in January 2016. The strategy is intended to address problems within all sectors, including the transport sector, and propose measures for improving energy efficiency and security within the Region. The CARICOM Secretariat recently formed an Electric Vehicle Working Group that is tasked with developing a Regional Roadmap for accelerating the electrification of transport.
After the workshop, participants will have a chance to enhance their knowledge in electric vehicle technology, cost and performance trends at the Expo. The Expo is open to the public and will have electric vehicles on display along with a dedicated zone to allow persons to test drive the cars.
The public will also benefit from video presentations and animations from EV experts. In addition, leading companies from Barbados will showcase their green goods and services. Other attractions at the Expo will include giveaways, music, food and drinks.