Speaking at Quality for Sustainable Energy in the Caribbean (QSEC) Project Closure Event held on Wednesday 28 February, 2024, Senator the Honourable Paula Gopee-Scoon joined in celebrating the conclusion of the transformative regional pilot facilitated by Trinidad & Tobago Bureau of Standards in collaboration with the CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) and Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB).
The Minister described the project, which aimed to develop energy efficiency and quality infrastructure services for selected domestic appliances, specifically light bulbs, refrigerators and air conditioning units, as a successful initiative, bringing the region closer to achieving the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), namely SDG 7-Affordable and Clean Energy.
In listing its achievements, the Minister said, “The QSEC Project has helped to build the technical capacity of two regional testing laboratories in Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica; piloted the Energy Efficiency Labelling Programme in five CARICOM Co -participating Countries (Belize, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago and the Dominican Republic); and developed a Regional Model Guide for the seamless functioning of an Energy Efficiency Labelling Programme. It also developed a Regional Database for the sharing of energy efficiency test results on the selected appliances.”
The pilot was also timely as it aligned with the Ministry’s soon-to-be launched Green Manufacturing Initiative, a plan designed to assist all (small, medium and large) manufacturers in the non-energy sector with adopting or improving green manufacturing practices.
“As the Government encourages the manufacturing sector to move towards green manufacturing processes, having the appropriate quality infrastructure in the form of testing laboratories and labelling standards, will provide the support needed for their transition” the Minister said.
The Minister also spoke on the establishment of the Energy Efficiency Laboratory EEL). “As an embodiment of Trinidad and Tobago’s commitment to promoting greater energy efficiency, this country invested over TT$380,000 in partnership with PTB, CROSQ and the Ministry of Planning and Development’s Global Environment Fund (GEF) Project to outfit the EEL, launched in November 2022 at TTBS,” she said.
The state-of-the-art laboratory positions Trinidad and Tobago as the first Regional Centre of Excellence for testing the energy efficiency of lighting products and the Laboratory in Jamaica as the first Regional Centre of Excellence for testing the energy efficiency of refrigerators and air conditioning units. These laboratories represent a significant milestone in the respective countries and the wider CARICOM Region.
The Minister acknowledged the contributions of all stakeholders for their assistance, insights and visionary leadership during the implementation of the project. She recognised CROSQ, INDOCAL, PTB and the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Ministry of Planning and Development and the Ministry of Public Utilities.
The two-day event was held at the TTBS Auditorium, Macoya in which Day One involved a comprehensive discussion on the lessons learnt throughout the QSEC Project and a tour of the Energy Efficiency Laboratories Day Two was focused on the achievements and included special presentations on Building Confidence in the Energy Transition through Quality Infrastructure.
