Project name

Capacity building to support the Sustainable Island Resource Framework Fund (SIRF Fund).

General Information

Applicant Institution: Environment Division, Ministry of Health and the Environment, Government of Antigua and Barbuda
Principal Contact: Amb. Diann Black-Layne, Chief Environment Officer
Address: #1 Victoria Botanical Gardens, Factory Road, St. John’s, Antigua
Telephone: (268) 462-4625, (268) 464-6410
Email: [email protected], [email protected]
Internet homepage: www.environmentdivision.info

Project Concept

The National Energy Policy (NEP) develops a legal, institutional and economic framework, and management mechanisms, for promoting sustainable and economical energy services. Strategies identified by the NEP include exploiting indigenous energy resources and reducing total dependence on fossil fuels.

This project provides capacity building to implement and manage the SIRF Fund, which will attract investments in renewable energy, namely, primarily solar and wind energy, sell the electricity to the Antigua Public Utility Authority (APUA), and the revenue will be re-invested into environmental management.

Objetive

Train 75% of the personnel that are to be involved in SIRF Fund operations.

Outcomes

• Enhanced local capacity building to operationalize a cost-effective and sustained financing to meet its environmental and climate needs;
• SIRF’s business model utilizing similar funds (FONERWA, Caribbean Biodiversity Fund, and BVI Climate Change Trust Fund) and lessons learned;
• SIRF Operational manual that includes key template agreements and training Fund management on risk management and due diligence.

Development Impact

Overall Expected Result: The Environment Division, APUA, the Debt Unit and the Energy Unit are short-term beneficiaries. Long-term beneficiaries include all electricity consumers in Antigua & Barbuda, who will benefit from more reliable, more affordable, and less environmentally harmful energy sources as well as ecosystem and environmental restoration of Antigua and Barbuda.

Project Sustainability: The Environment Division will act as the interim Secretariat of the SIRF Fund during its establishment. The Division has a proven track record in successful project implementation. The four agencies, whose roles are described above in “Link with existing activity”, have collaborative relations built through the development of the SPPARE project. The four agencies will work together to ensure the capacity building results are achieved in this project.

Partners

• Partner Name: Energy Unit:

Principal Contact: Brian Challenger
Telephone: (268) 462 1062
Email: [email protected]
Internet home page: http://www.ab.gov.ag/

• Partner Name: APUA

Principal Contact: Esworth Martin
Telephone: (268) 462 1062
Email: [email protected]
Internet home page: http://www.apua.ag/

• Partner Name: Debt Unit

Principal Contact: Nadia Spencer-Henry
Telephone: (268) 462 4989
Email: [email protected]
Internet home page: http://www.ab.gov.ag/