OECS Launches Regional Project to Accelerate Adoption of Sustainable Energy Solutions
CASTRIES, St. Lucia - The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (ECS) has formally launched the Caribbean Efficient and Green Energy Buildings Project (CEGEB project), which it describes as “a transformative regional initiative designed to accelerate the adoption of sustainable energy solutions and energy-efficient practices” across public buildings in the participating countries.
Judith Ephraim-Schmidt, Programme Director, Sustainable Energy at the St. Lucia-based OECS Commission.The Commission said that the initiative was launched at a meeting in Grenada that brought together representatives from St. Lucia, Guyana, the World Bank, the Barbados-based Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE) and the host country.
The US$131.8 million five-year project funded by the World Bank represents a combination of grants and loans that will allow governments to demonstrate leadership in sustainable energy and the associated benefits.
Under the project, an estimated 500 buildings will be retrofitted with energy efficiency measures and an estimated 50,670 kWp (kilowatt-peak) of solar photovoltaics will be installed.
The CEGEB project also builds on the OECS Commission’s strong track record in pooled procurement, which for over 30 years has enabled member states to access critical pharmaceutical drugs and medical supplies more efficiently and cost-effectively through a collaborative approach.
The Commission said that by extending this model to the sustainable energy sector, tit aims to leverage an aggregated demand to provide economies of scale, resulting in more affordable sustainable energy solutions for the region.
It said this approach is also expected to stimulate the development of a regional market for energy-efficient technologies, create local green jobs, and strengthen the capacity of public and private stakeholders to manage and maintain green energy solutions.
“Caribbean Green Buildings signals a new era of collaboration and innovation in the OECS for advancing our sustainable energy transition,” said Judith Ephraim-Schmidt, Programme Director, Sustainable Energy at the St. Lucia-based OECS Commission.
“By combining our sustainable energy expertise with the efficiencies of pooled procurement, we are delivering real solutions that will make our public buildings greener, our economies stronger, and our communities more resilient at a reduced cost.”
The Caribbean Green Buildings initiative marks a significant milestone in the OECS’ ongoing commitment to sustainable development as it embarks on the 2025-2035 Decade of Action for Sustainable Energy Development in the OECS.
The Commission says that by strategically uniting the expertise of the OECS Sustainable Energy Unit with the proven success of the OECS pooled procurement mechanism, it is poised to deliver tangible benefits to citizens across the region.
This innovative approach not only facilitates economies of scale and reduces technology costs but also sets new benchmarks and standards for energy efficiency and distributed renewable energy (DRE) deployment in public buildings. The CCREEE will also provide energy regulatory support for enhanced implementation of the project.
The retrofitted buildings and processes under the project will serve as best-practice models, demonstrating how coordinated regional action can reduce government energy costs, free up resources for other development priorities, and deliver visible environmental and economic benefits for OECS citizens.
The CEGEB project is structured as a scalable, regional Series of Projects (SoP), enabling eligible member states to join at different stages and ultimately benefit from a harmonized regulatory framework, standardized technical tools, and shared capacity-building resources. The Caribbean Green Building Initiative aims to accelerate regional integration by expanding access to concessional financing, which supports the OECS vision of a resilient, affordable, low-carbon future for all.
The OECS groups the islands of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts-Nevis, Montserrat, Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands.
