The OECS Commission has announced the commencement of a pivotal study tour to Guadeloupe, focusing on geothermal energy development. This initiative underscores the OECS’s commitment to advancing sustainable energy solutions and strengthening regional energy independence by tapping into the potential for indigenous, clean power from the heat beneath our feet.
This study tour, organised by the OECS Geothermal Energy Capacity Building for Utilisation, Investment and Local Development (GEOBUILD) Programme, from June 23-27, builds on a history of regional collaboration and learning in geothermal energy, facilitated by the OECS Commission and regional and international agencies. Guadeloupe has been a pioneer in the Caribbean, operating a geothermal electricity plant since 1986.
The delegation of senior officials, technical officers, and community representatives participating in the Guadeloupe study tour will engage with key stakeholders, observe the Bouillante geothermal power plant, and learn best practices in project implementation, environmental management, and community engagement.
The knowledge gained from this experience will be instrumental in informing and facilitating the development of geothermal resources in St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada.
Guadeloupe’s five decades of experience offer invaluable insights for the five OECS Member States under the GEOBUILD that are pursuing similar ambitious but strategically vital projects. This tour also follows a successful study tour to Dominica in 2023, which provided foundational knowledge and fostered critical relationships for further development.
Dr. Ernie Stapleton, GEOBUILD Project Manager, explains:
“Guadeloupe holds significant historical importance in the context of geothermal energy in the Caribbean because it has been a pioneering Member State in the region, operating a geothermal power plant since 1986. This makes its geothermal plant the first in the OECS and provides decades of invaluable experience for other OECS Member States pursuing similar projects.”
The timing of this tour is particularly significant as the Caribbean region witnesses an exciting increase in geothermal energy development activities. Notably, construction is underway of the 10-megawatt Laudat plant in Dominica – the first geothermal power plant in the wider CARICOM region, and only the second in the OECS after Guadeloupe. It is expected to be completed by Christmas 2025, meeting about 44% of the island’s energy needs and powering some 23,000 homes.
This innovative development signifies a major step forward in the region’s transition to a more resilient and environmentally friendly energy landscape in the first year of the OECS Decade of Action for Sustainable Energy Development, also known as the Basseterre Agreement.
Since its initial commissioning 38 years ago at Bouillante, a west coast commune on Guadeloupe’s Basse-Terre, providing five megawatts, the plant was expanded to produce 15 megawatts in 2003. It is now undergoing a further upgrade, which, when completed, will further boost the plant’s productivity to 25 megawatts of clean, renewable energy.
The OECS Commission remains dedicated to facilitating such capacity-building initiatives, recognising their critical role in achieving a sustainable and prosperous future for the people of the OECS.
