OECS and New Zealand Collaborate to Strengthen Geothermal Capacity in the Eastern Caribbean
OECS Press Release
The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission, through its GEOBUILD Programme, in collaboration with Aotearoa New Zealand-Caribbean Facility for Renewable Energy (FRENZ), convened a virtual regional workshop on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, to advance efforts in strengthening geothermal energy capacity across OECS Member States. FRENZ is supported by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) through its International Development Cooperation.
The working session brought together representatives from geothermal agencies, ministries of energy, technical institutions, and development partners to finalise a comprehensive Capacity Gap Analysis and Action Plan for Geothermal Energy in the Eastern Caribbean. This initiative aims to bolster regional capabilities in harnessing geothermal resources for sustainable development while ensuring that the Caribbean workforce is equipped with the requisite skills and technical knowledge.
A Partnership for Capacity and Sustainability
New Zealand’s continued support through FRENZ underscores a shared commitment to advancing renewable energy and climate resilience in the Caribbean. The partnership seeks to enhance institutional, technical, and human capacity for geothermal project development, supporting the OECS’s transition towards sustainable, low-carbon economies.
The Capacity Building Gap Analysis and Action Plan is a key activity under the GEOBUILD Programme, which focuses on:
- Strengthening institutional and technical capacities.
- Providing expert advisory services.
- Enhancing public awareness and stakeholder engagement.
- Promoting direct uses of geothermal energy for local economic development.
Workshop Objectives and Highlights
The working session provided a platform to:
- Share key findings from the geothermal capacity gap analysis.
- Gather feedback from Member States on priority capacity needs.
- Finalise the Capacity Development Action Plan.
- Identify next steps for regional implementation.
During the session, presentations were made on key components of the collaboration, including:
- OECS GEOBUILD Requests to FRENZ:
- Conducting a baseline study to identify and map the technical capacity needs and critical skills necessary for advancing geothermal development in the OECS.
- Developing geothermal capacity development roadmaps and training programmes at local and regional levels based on assessed needs.
- Methodology:
FRENZ applied the Capacity Development Needs Diagnostics for Renewable Energy (CaDRE) methodology to identify skills and institutional capacity gaps and design targeted interventions.
- Findings:
Preliminary analysis, desktop reviews, interviews, and online surveys revealed technical skills gaps at individual, organisational, and systemic levels across the geothermal value chain.
- Draft Capacity Development Action Plan:
- A CaDRE-aligned plan was presented to guide national and regional actions aimed at effectively building geothermal capacity within the OECS.
- Member States provided valuable input to refine the draft plan, identifying areas for collaboration in training, institutional strengthening, and regional knowledge exchange.
Project Overview
The OECS GEOBUILD Capacity Building Support Project, implemented in partnership with New Zealand’s FRENZ, seeks to conduct a comprehensive geothermal capacity-building gap analysis to prioritise training and institutional strengthening actions. The initiative will facilitate the development of a roadmap outlining specific training needs, identify potential training institutions, and estimate the resources required for each action. The estimated Budget is USD 70,000 – 100,000 and the implementation Period: 11 months, ending November 2025
The overarching goal is to equip the Caribbean workforce and institutions with the skills and knowledge needed to advance geothermal energy development, enhancing local project execution capacity and contributing to regional renewable energy and climate goals.
About the GEOBUILD Programme
The Geothermal Energy: Capacity Building for Utilisation, Investment and Local Development (GEOBUILD) Programme is an initiative of the OECS Commission designed to unlock geothermal potential in Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Funded by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) with support from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) through the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the European Union Caribbean Investment Facility (EU-CIF), GEOBUILD focuses on: strengthening institutional and technical capacities; providing expert advisory services; enhancing public awareness and stakeholder engagement; and promoting direct uses of geothermal energy for local economic development.
The Programme also collaborates with international partners such as New Zealand and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) to leverage global expertise and best practices for sustainable energy transformation in the Eastern Caribbean.
About FRENZ
The Aotearoa New Zealand-Caribbean Facility for Renewable Energy (FRENZ) supports Caribbean partners in achieving their renewable energy and climate change goals by accessing the technical resources required to obtain finance and implement a wider range of renewable energy projects, with a focus on geothermal energy development. FRENZ is supported by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) through its International Development Cooperation.
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Danny Moonie
OECS Communications Unit