Dominica and alternative energy sources
Dominica, known as the Commonwealth of Dominica, is a Caribbean island nation that faces significant challenges in energy production and consumption. The country primarily relies on imported fossil fuels, with diesel generators producing the majority of its energy as of 2024. Historically, Dominica's energy consumption has been lower than the global average, and electricity access varies, with urban areas enjoying nearly universal access while rural regions, particularly in lower-income areas, face difficulties due to affordability and infrastructure issues.
In recent years, Dominica has begun exploring alternative energy sources to enhance its sustainability and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. The government has prioritized renewable energy development, focusing on hydropower, geothermal, wind, and solar energy. With its rugged terrain and abundant water resources, Dominica has significant potential for hydropower generation. The country has initiated projects to test solar energy applications and is also seeking to harness geothermal energy, aiming to create a reliable energy network supported by a recent grant from the World Bank.
As Dominica aspires to transition to 100 percent renewable energy, the government's efforts reflect a broader commitment to addressing both economic and environmental concerns, particularly in a nation designated as a World Heritage site and reliant on ecotourism.
Subject Terms
Dominica and alternative energy sources
Official Name: Commonwealth of Dominica.
Summary: Dominica relies on mainly imported fossil fuels but also produces hydropower. By the 2020s, it had begun exploring a range of alternative sources of energy, including wind, geothermal, and solar, for increased production in the future.
Since Dominica gained independence from Britain in 1978, escalating energy requirements have presented a major challenge to the country’s plans for economic development. The island has no indigenous sources of oil, coal, or natural gas, and energy production relies on a combination of locally produced hydropower and diesel generators.
Energy Consumption
In 2022 and historically, Dominica had a much lower level of energy consumption than the global average, with a per capita 100 watts person compared to a global average per capita of 432 watts per person. Access to electricity is unevenly distributed across the country: 99 percent of urban Dominicans have access to electricity, compared to 80 percent in the rural areas. In lower-income areas, such as the Indigenous Carib territory, many households that have power lines installed cannot afford to pay for electricity, and collected firewood is a primary source of energy for cooking. In addition, slow economic growth has caused slowing demand for power among households and businesses, resulting in little to no investment in upgrades or additions to electricity distribution lines. Consumers bear the burden of the costs of line losses due to aging and poor quality and face highly volatile prices due to the country’s dependence on imported fossil fuels.
Many Dominicans have protested the country’s electricity tariffs, which are above the average for the Caribbean. In addition to economic concerns, environmental impacts are of heightened concern in a country designated a World Heritage site and reliant on ecotourism, and one whose many residents depend directly on local water sources and agriculture for their daily needs.
Diesel Generators
In 2024, diesel generators produced most of Dominca's energy. To fuel these generators, the country imported an estimated 978 barrels of oil per day as of 2013. Under the terms of the 2005 PetroCaribe agreement, Dominica and many other Caribbean countries purchased oil from Venezuela at market prices with 1 percent annual interest on payment installments. National generation, transmission, distribution, and sale of electricity were conducted by Dominica Electricity Services Limited (DOMLEC). DOMLEC operated two diesel plants (Fond Cole and Sugar Loaf) and three hydropower facilities (Laudat, Trafalgar, and Padu), with a combined capacity of 20.1 megawatts and 6.56 megawatts, respectively. Originally a state-owned electricity company, DOMLEC was privatized in 1996 and operates as a vertically integrated company. Although the Electricity Supply Act of 2006 abolished the monopoly previously held by DOMLEC, the company remained the only power provider on the island as of 2024.
Renewable Energy Sources
The 2006 Electricity Supply Act declared renewable energy an official priority of the government’s energy policy. By early 2015, hydropower was generating 27.4 percent of total energy production, with most of the remainder supplied by diesel generators. Small-scale photovoltaic (PV) solar systems in Morne Diablotin National Park serve as a test project for future solar development. If Dominica fully exploited its potential sources of hydropower, geothermal energy, wind energy, and solar energy, the country could theoretically satisfy its current electricity requirements and have surplus available for export.
The country possesses a rugged topography ideally suited to the development of hydroelectric power, with mountains up to 4,698 feet (1,432 meters) above sea level, hundreds of streams and rivers, and heavy rainfall throughout the year. Hydroelectric power is generated from the Roseau River, which runs through the capital city of Roseau, by power plants in three locations: Trafalger, Padu, and Laudat. In Dominica, which experiences an average of 1.2 landslides per square kilometer, hydroelectric facilities regularly experience damage due to unstable ground and falling rocks and must be designed to reduce vulnerability to such natural hazards.
In 2024, the World Bank's board of directors announced its approval of a $38.5 million grant to help the country develop sustainable, reliable energy. Dominica's energy was mostly being produced by old diesel generators, which may break, leaving many residents without power for an extended time. Using the grant money, Dominica planned to build a network for reliable geothermal energy transmission. With this type of energy, warm underground water is pumped to the surface and used to create energy. Dominica hoped to become the first small island developing state (SIDS) to use 100 percent renewable energy.
Bibliography
Commonwealth Secretariat. Small States: Economic Review and Basic Statistics. Vol. 14. London: Commonwealth Secretariat, 2010.
"Could the Answer to 100 Percent Renewable Energy in Dominica Be Under the Ground?" United Nations (UN) News, 30 Apr. 2024, news.un.org/en/story/2024/04/1149136. Accessed 31 July 2024.
National Renewable Energy Laboratory. "Energy Snapshot: Dominica." Energy Transition Initiative: Islands, US Dept. of Energy, Mar. 2015, www.nrel.gov/docs/fy15osti/62704.pdf. Accessed 31 July 2024.
US Energy Information Administration. “Country Analysis Brief: Dominica.” www.eia.gov/countries/country-data.cfm?fips=DO. Accessed 31 July 2024.
"The World Bank Supports Clean Energy Generation in Dominica." World Bank Group, 26 Jan. 2024, www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2024/01/26/world-bank-supports-clean-energy-generation-dominica. Accessed 31 July 2024.