Jamaican talent key to renewable energy goals – ministry rep

Jamaica’s transition to renewable energy must be driven not only by investment in equipment, but also by investment in local talent, according to Steve Dixon, chief technical director for energy at the Ministry of Science, Energy and Technology.

“Events such as this are essential to building the knowledge, skills and partnerships that Jamaica needs to compete in an increasingly technology-driven global economy,” Dixon said while delivering the Day Two keynote address on behalf of Energy Minister Daryl Vaz at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Jamaica Talent & Technology Event at the AC Hotel Kingston in St Andrew.

“Technology is no longer simply supporting national development; it is increasingly determining how quickly, efficiently and sustainably countries can advance,” he added.

The two-day event was hosted by the Jamaica Section of IEEE Region 3, which encompasses the southeastern United States and Jamaica. IEEE, founded in 1963, is the world’s largest technical professional organisation dedicated to advancing technology, with more than 486,000 members worldwide.

Dixon said Jamaica’s ability to harness technology will influence the reliability of its electricity supply, the efficiency of transportation systems, the resilience of telecommunications networks and the opportunities available to its people.

“The challenge before us is not simply to adopt new technologies, but to develop the talent and technical capacity to apply them to our national priorities,” he said.

He noted that Jamaica remains vulnerable to international fuel-price shocks and the economic consequences of relying on imported energy. To reduce that exposure, the government has set a target of generating 50 per cent of the country’s electricity from renewable sources by 2030.

Renewables currently account for approximately 15 per cent of Jamaica’s electricity generation. Dixon said the country’s renewable-energy programme includes the procurement of 300 megawatts of new renewable generation supported by 150 megawatts of battery-energy storage. This builds on the 100 megawatts of solar capacity awarded in 2024, bringing planned and awarded renewable additions to 400 megawatts.

He stressed that achieving these goals will require sophisticated engineering, advanced system controls, effective energy storage, accurate forecasting, and the integration of renewable resources into the national grid.

“We need electrical engineers who can design and manage modern power systems, software developers who can build intelligent monitoring platforms, data scientists who can improve demand forecasting, and researchers who can advance battery performance, energy efficiency and grid stability,” Dixon said.

He added that Jamaica must strengthen its capacity in smart-grid technologies, cybersecurity and the management of distributed energy resources. The planned modernisation of the Net Billing Programme, including a fully online application process and the incorporation of battery storage, is expected to encourage broader participation in renewable-energy generation.

Dixon also highlighted the growing connection between energy and transportation, pointing to electric mobility, intelligent traffic-management systems and digital-payment platforms as transformative technologies. He cited the introduction of battery-electric buses into the Jamaica Urban Transit Company fleet as one example of the country’s progress.

However, he noted that the transition requires more than electric vehicles.

“We must also develop the charging infrastructure, power systems, maintenance capacity, technical standards and skilled workforce needed to support reliable operation,” he said.

Dixon urged closer collaboration among government, academia, industry and the engineering community.

“These are achievable ambitions, but they require collaboration. We need the ideas of our researchers, the ingenuity of our engineers, the creativity of our entrepreneurs, and the determination of our young people,” he said.