Winds of change: Why the Caribbean’s energy future will be built on breeze

A wind turbine in Europe. - Photo courtesy Freepik

WHEN it comes to the Caribbean’s energy future, the winds may soon be turning in our favour – quite literally.
Speaking on day two of the Caribbean Sustainable Energy Conference at the Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre, St Ann’s, on June 3, the experts made it clear: the feasibility of wind power in TT and the wider region is no longer a distant concept but an immediate and pressing opportunity.
From regional wind maps to real-time measurement technology, and from Europe’s offshore wind economy to TT’s hydrogen ambitions, industry professionals laid out a comprehensive case for wind’s role in reshaping the Caribbean’s energy landscape.
The major takeaway was both candid and optimistic: the economics have caught up with the aspiration.
Sheena Gosine, energy international relations and affairs adviser to the Minister of Energy and Energy Industries and vice-chair of the Wind Energy Steering Committee, said, “The Caribbean region benefits from its location.
“The North Atlantic subtropical high regulates the northeasterly trade winds, and these winds are known for their consistency, moving from the east to the northeast.”
Across the region, wind power deployment is gaining momentum. Jamaica has over 40 MW of wind capacity, while the Dominican Republic leads the region with over 200 MW. Barbados has also embarked on a public-private partnership for a 50-megawatt wind farm – the largest in the Eastern Caribbean to date. Geotechnical studies for the site have already been completed.
Gosine noted TT’s onshore wind development has begun in earnest, while offshore possibilities are being assessed concurrently.
“Our region’s geographic positioning allows for average wind speeds of six to nine metres per second, making the Caribbean ideally suited for offshore wind energy.”
A regional offshore wind strategy developed by C3, supported by the European Union, ranked Jamaica and TT as the top two territories for offshore wind development, scoring them out of 85 based on resource availability, infrastructure, spatial planning and market integration.
“The only reason Jamaica led by one point is their higher renewable energy integration. By the end of this year, with the TT Solar Project, we are likely to lead,” said Gosine.
Economics: The deciding factor
While policymakers often cite environmental concerns and climate goals as drivers for renewable energy, Augusto Bonzi, energy specialist with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), was unequivocal about what’s truly moving the market.
“This transition is really being driven by economics,” Bonzi said. “Decarbonisation matters, but most of this is fundamentally driven by cost competitiveness.”
Bonzi presented figures from the latest Lazard levelised cost of energy (LCOE) report, which placed the global average cost for onshore wind between US$27 and US$73 per megawatt-hour – consistently cheaper than fossil fuel options like combined cycle gas plants. Offshore wind costs, while higher, are steadily declining.

IDB Country representative Julian Belgrave at the Caribbean Sustainable Energy Conference hosted by the Energy Chamber of Trinidad and Tobago, Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre, Port of Spain on June 2. - Photo by Jeff K. Mayers

“It’s not surprising that project after project is following this trend,” Bonzi added.
Referencing a 13-year trend from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Bonzi demonstrated how both onshore and offshore wind have seen remarkable cost reductions, falling well below fossil fuel generation costs globally.
In the local context, Bonzi noted that the IDB’s assessment for TT positioned the country to become a regional green hydrogen economy leader – provided that large-scale renewable energy projects, especially offshore wind, are deployed. “You have the infrastructure, you have the international trade, the shipping, the port. So it’s really about taking it to the next level.”
Measuring wind
On the technical front, Kevin Atwaroo, power systems engineer at National Energy Corporation of TT, described the country’s ongoing wind resource assessment programme. “Our assessments classify TT’s wind potential into two categories: approximately 2.8 gigawatts of onshore capacity and 32 gigawatts offshore,” Atwaroo reported.
To quantify these figures, National Energy deployed light detection and ranging (LIDAR) technology – a mobile, laser-based device capable of measuring wind speeds up to 300 metres above ground.
“We are sampling data from one-second to ten-minute intervals, remotely accessed through a cloud platform,” Atwaroo explained.
The devices, powered by off-grid solar panels and battery backup, are collecting 12 to 18 months of continuous wind data at two pilot sites: Galeota and Waterloo.
The first two resource assessment plans are scheduled for completion by Q3 to Q4 of 2026, with two more starting in mid-2025 at Fishing Pond on the northeast coast and Los Iros in the south.
“Anyone will tell you: empirical data, measured data equals better planning and faster deployment,” Atwaroo said.
The validated data will inform turbine layout, technical feasibility, and bankable energy production estimates for future wind projects.
Ports, human capital and opportunity
Gosine argued that wind energy development must be supported by port infrastructure, an area in which TT already excels.
“TT has the potential to become the logistical hub for Caribbean wind energy deployment,” she said.
The Port of Galeota and Point Lisas Industrial Estate were identified as critical assets for assembling, launching and integrating wind turbine structures, much like European ports that serve as hubs for offshore wind in the North Sea.
She also pointed out that existing industrial capabilities could be repurposed for offshore wind. “Here at home, TOFCO (Trinidad Offshore Fabrication Company) manufactures jackets and possesses the technical capabilities and workforce to support offshore wind — transferable skills already in place.”
Human capital is another decisive advantage. The local energy industry workforce has shrunk from 23,000 in 2013 to just over 8,000 today.
“That tells you we have a cadre of experienced personnel available to staff a future offshore wind sector,” Gosine said.
Regional and Global Examples
Bonzi reminded the audience that successful examples exist within Latin America and the Caribbean. He cited Uruguay’s rapid transition to 98 per cent renewable energy in just 15 years – with wind accounting for 40 per cent – and its ongoing export of clean electricity to Brazil.
In Central America, the 1,800-kilometre SIEPAC electricity line interconnects seven countries, balancing fossil and renewable sources across a regional grid.
Closer to home, Suriname recently completed its wind resource assessment, and Barbados announced a request for proposals last week for a 60-megawatt wind farm.
“These aren’t distant aspirations. They’re happening now,” Bonzi said.
He added that the IDB had also supported Chile’s green hydrogen roadmap, leading to private sector bidding for 5,000 megawatts of wind power within three years.
The outlook: feasible and necessary
The conference’s discussions made it evident that for TT, wind energy is no longer an experimental concept.
The financial case is sound, the resources exist, and the supporting infrastructure and industrial capabilities are ready to be mobilised.
“The opportunities are here,” Bonzi said. “Every country must chart its own path based on its resources and circumstances – but the regional and global trends are clear.”
With capital costs declining, storage solutions advancing, and regional demand for green energy products rising, experts say TT’s window to secure a leadership role in the Caribbean’s renewable energy transition has opened.
Whether for decarbonisation goals, economic diversification, or future-proofing its petrochemical sector, wind power offers a feasible, competitive, and increasingly necessary solution.
As Gosine put it, “We are not starting from scratch. We are starting from experience.”
(source: Newsday: June 5, 2025)