Challenges

Successful strategies of small island developing states (SIDS) to cope with emergencies, such as climate change, oil price fluctuations and most recently the COVID-19 health and economic crises, require a rapid diversification to new sectors, industrial upgrading and leapfrogging to circular economy and sustainable energy solutions. However, by looking at the moderate growth rates of sustainable energy product and service markets in SIDS, it becomes obvious that SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy), SDG 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure) and SDG 13 (climate action) cannot be attained by 2030 in business-as-usual scenarios.

The deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency solutions remains hindered by a broad range of demand and supply-side barriers, including policy and regulation, qualification, knowledge management, investment and business promotion. Regionally, energy transition efforts tend to remain uncoordinated between SIDS, and common barriers and opportunities are not addressed jointly for the benefit of all. Duplication, fragmentation and lack of agenda-setting in regions leads to inefficient use of international funding.

Moreover, in several SIDS, the inability of the domestic private sector to supply quality sustainable energy products and services is an issue for the long-term sustainability of the energy transition. Equipment and expertise remains imported  from outside and the local value creation in terms of jobs and income generation remains low. Moreover, internationally supplied renewable energy systems are not maintained due to the absence of local business models and energy companies.

Toward a Solution

To make regional cooperation on energy and climate a priority, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), working in partnership with various regional economic communities (listed above in the Metadata section) and through initial seed funding from the Austrian Government, launched the Global Network of Regional Sustainable Energy Centres (GN-SEC) programme. Since 2010, UNIDO has been assisting the member states of regional bodies to establish and operate regional sustainable energy centres to promote energy and climate transitions that are “from the region for the region.”

The GN-SEC centres address barriers to development of sustainable energy product and service markets by supporting economies of scales, equal progress and encouraging joint cooperation between countries. Using cross-border approaches and methodologies, the centres complement and accelerate national efforts in the areas of policy, regulation, standards, qualification, knowledge and facilitation of investment and entrepreneurship. Moreover, they serve as knowledge resource facilities and provide advice to Member States on how best to manage transitions towards sustainable energy.

The network has particularly reached out to small island developing states (SIDS) and is currently covering 34 of the world’s 38 SIDS. The creation of the network was announced for the first time as a Samoa Pathway Partnership by UNIDO and the Small Island Sustainable Energy and Climate Resilience Organization (SIDS DOCK) on the margins of the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States, held in September 2014 in Apia, Samoa. The network contributes to implementation of the UNIDO SIDS Strategy (2019-2025), adopted by the UNIDO General Conference in 2019.

The institutions that have been established to serve SIDS include the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE) in Barbados, the SICA Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (SICREEE) in El Salvador, the Pacific Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (PCREEE) in Tonga, the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) in Cape Verde, the Regional Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency for Arab States (RCREEE) in Egypt, the Southern African Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (SACREEE) in Namibia and the Central African Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CEREEAC) in Angola.

Under the GN-SEC platform, UNIDO facilitates SIDS-SIDS and triangular cooperation on sustainable energy and circular economy issues and adapted island solutions. There is a lot to learn from each other and plenty of opportunities for the replication of adapted island solutions. Some of the centres have achieved remarkable progress, to the benefit of SIDS. For example, PCREEE and CCREEE have developed regional policy frameworks on electric mobility for the Caribbean and Pacific and provide implementation support for national actions. To decouple industrial development from fossil fuel import dependency and greenhouse gas emissions, most of the SIDS are heading towards smart and integrated power systems that combine renewable energy, battery storage, electric mobility and innovative digital business models.

Another example is the CARICOM Energy Knowledge Hub, which was established by CCREEE and is the first GIS based regional sustainable energy information system. This hub provides data “from the region for the region.” Moreover, CCREEE is supporting energy ministries and utilities in developing Integrated Resources and Resilience Plans, which are taking climate change impacts and cross-sectoral interlinkages better into account. To support Member States, project promoters and financiers to achieve bankability of projects, CCREEE established a dedicated Project Preparation Facility.

In support of young local cleantech start-ups and entrepreneurs, PCREEE established a dedicated sustainable energy entrepreneurship facility. ECREEE has formulated an internationally unique regional policy for gender mainstreaming in the sustainable energy sector, which is approved by ECOWAS governments and is currently being implemented via national action plans, including in Cabo Verde and Guinea Bissau.

In 2021, UNIDO and SIDS DOCK, in partnership with the GN-SEC centres covering SIDS, launched the Online Capacity Building Program on Sustainable Energy Solutions for Islands. Composed of nine modules, the online training programme offers in-depth knowledge and practical exams on the following energy issues and technologies: solar photovoltaics, solar thermal, ocean energy, bioenergy, energy efficiency and thermal optimization in buildings, mini-grids, energy storage, e-mobility and climate change. The courses are free-of-charge and island experts can participate either through self-learning or guided training. Currently, the programme is available in English, Portuguese and Spanish. The course also applies a train-the-trainer approach, which helps national institutes to incorporate the tool into their curricula and contributes to the sustainability of the initiative.