DEVELOPING THE SAINT LUCIA ENERGY ROADMAP

The National Energy Transition Strategy (NETS) for Saint Lucia identifies an optimal energy portfolio consisting of solar, wind, energy storage, energy efficiency, and existing diesel generation. This combination is projected to reduce diesel expenditures by 42% and carbon emissions by 40% by 2025. The report emphasizes that utility ownership generally leads to lower customer rates and that energy efficiency is the most cost-effective resource for minimizing system costs. While geothermal energy offers significant base-load potential, its viability depends on concessional financing and successful exploration. The strategy also highlights the need for regulatory reform, specifically decoupling utility revenues from sales to incentivize energy efficiency and avoiding 'rate shock' associated with certain independent power producer (IPP) arrangements.

• The most economically optimal energy system for Saint Lucia is a combination of solar, wind, energy storage, energy efficiency, and existing diesel generation, which is expected to lower diesel spending by 42% and carbon emissions by 40% by 2025.
• Energy efficiency is identified as the cheapest method to achieve a least-cost energy solution, with the potential to avoid 11% of annual electricity sales by 2024 at a levelized cost of $0.03 per kWh saved.
• The analysis indicates that higher levels of utility ownership of energy assets result in lower electricity rates for customers compared to models with more independent power producers.
• Diesel generation must remain part of the energy mix to ensure grid stability and meet reserve requirements, although its volume will decrease as renewables are integrated.
• Geothermal energy could potentially allow Saint Lucia to exceed 75% renewable energy penetration if it can be secured at an economically advantageous price point through concessional financing.
• The integration of variable renewable energy sources will likely necessitate the use of electricity storage to maintain system stability and provide ancillary services like frequency regulation.
• Current utility revenue models, which are based on the volume of kilowatt-hours sold, create a disincentive for LUCELEC to pursue energy efficiency; the report suggests decoupling sales from revenues to resolve this.
• The introduction of large independent power producers under current policy risks causing 'rate shock,' where customer rates initially drop and then increase sharply to return the utility to its allowable rate-of-return band.

APA

Bunker, K., Doig, S., Locke, J., Mushegan, S., Teelucksingh, S., & Torbert, R. (2016). DEVELOPING THE SAINT LUCIA ENERGY ROADMAP. RMI. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/03/Islands_Saint_lucia_Energy_Roadmap_Report_2016.pdf

Chicago

Bunker, Kaitlyn, Stephen Doig, Justin Locke, Stephen Mushegan, Siana Teelucksingh, and Roy Torbert. DEVELOPING THE SAINT LUCIA ENERGY ROADMAP. RMI, 2016. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/03/Islands_Saint_lucia_Energy_Roadmap_Report_2016.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Bunker |first1=Kaitlyn |last2=Doig |first2=Stephen |last3=Locke |first3=Justin |last4=Mushegan |first4=Stephen |last5=Teelucksingh |first5=Siana |last6=Torbert |first6=Roy |title=DEVELOPING THE SAINT LUCIA ENERGY ROADMAP |publisher=RMI |date=October 2016 |url=https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/03/Islands_Saint_lucia_Energy_Roadmap_Report_2016.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{bunker2016developing, author = {Bunker, Kaitlyn and Doig, Stephen and Locke, Justin and Mushegan, Stephen and Teelucksingh, Siana and Torbert, Roy}, title = {{DEVELOPING THE SAINT LUCIA ENERGY ROADMAP}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2016}, month = oct, url = {https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/03/Islands_Saint_lucia_Energy_Roadmap_Report_2016.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }