An extensive speaker line-up for the Cayman Islands’ first sustainable energy conference, the Caribbean Transitional Energy Conference (CTEC), held May 11th and 12th at the Kimpton Seafire Resort, has been announced.
Over the two-day conference, CTEC will host a wealth of influential speakers, including conservationists, visiting dignitaries, industry experts and representatives from various energy companies, all seeking to embrace a low carbon, sustainable future for Cayman and other Caribbean Islands.
CTEC’s keynote speaker is aquanaut, ocean conservationist and documentary filmmaker, Fabien Cousteau. Famed for his conservation of the world’s oceans, Mr Cousteau founded the Fabien Cousteau Ocean Learning Centre, to create a vehicle to make a positive change in the world. Grandson of famous explorer and scientist, Jacques-Yves Cousteau, Fabien Cousteau will be speaking to delegates on the topic of ‘Climate Action Now’ on the morning of May 11th.
Founder of Virgin, investor and philanthropist, Sir Richard Branson will host a video call live to the conference.
Other conference speakers include Dr the Honourable Kedrick Pickering, Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources & Labour of the British Virgin Islands, Miss Jeane Nikolai, Director of Energy, Government of Bermuda, and Dr James Fletcher, St Lucia’s Former Minister for Sustainable Development.
Following the recent Cayman Islands National Energy Policy passing in March, Premier of the Cayman Islands, the Hon. Alden McLaughlin and Minister of Planning, Lands, Agriculture, Housing and Infrastructure, the Hon. D. Kurt Tibbetts will also be speaking at the energy conference.
Mr James Whittaker, CTEC Organiser and President of the Cayman Renewable Energy Association (CREA), will also be speaking at the event. “The diversity and quality of the speakers and panellists at CTEC act as a strong foundation to what will be an educational and forward-looking event. The wide range of experts speaking at the conference helps promote a collaborative approach when it comes to ascertaining and addressing the issues Cayman and the Caribbean face when it comes to renewable energy.
“It is great to see the Caribbean community come together discuss the importance of transitioning to sustainable energy. With the Cayman Islands National Energy Policy now in place, it is important that we continue this positive momentum towards secure, reliable and economically feasible energy solutions,” Mr Whittaker said.
Other energy experts speaking at CTEC 2017 include:
• Tessa Williams Robertson, Head, Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency Unit, Office of Vice-President (Operations), Caribbean Development Bank
• Dr James Fletcher, Former Minister for Sustainable Development, St. Lucia
• Dr Devon Gardner, Programme Manager for Energy and Head of the Energy Unit at the Caribbean Community Secretariat
• Sacha Tibbetts, Vice President, Customer Service and Technology, Caribbean Utilities Company
• Kate Brown, Executive Director of the Global Island Partnership
• Hugo Hodge, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Caribbean Basin for Tantalus Systems
• Maya Doolub, Founder & CEO, elms consulting
• David Bissell, President & CEO at Kaua’I Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC)
• Jerry Butler, IADB Executive Director
• Bjørnulf Østvik, Chairman and CEO of VikingPeak Energy
• Dr Peter Lilienthal, CEO of Homer Energy
• Mark Crowdis, President of 127 Energy, LLC
• J-Paul Morgan, CEO of the Utility Regulation and Competition Office of the Cayman Islands (OfReg)
• Peter Boyd, Founder and CEO of Time4Good and Executive Fellow at Yale University’s Center for Business and the Environment
CTEC 2017 sponsors include: Cayman Islands Government, Dart, OTEC Cayman Islands, GreenTech Solar, Elms Consulting, Tower, NCB Group, Viking Peak Energy, New Energy Events and CREA.
For the full list of CTEC’s speakers, registration details and more, visit http://cteccayman.com.
Registration is now open at the rate of CI $500 / USD $ 609.76.