Island nation launches bold initiative to pull power from volcanic rock: 'Breathes new life into the long-held vision'
The Caribbean island of Dominica depends on generators fueled by dirty energy to power the needs of its 66,000 residents and a booming tourism sector. But that's about to change.
Dominica is going all-in on clean energy, constructing a 10-megawatt geothermal power plant near the village of Laudat.
The BBC reported that the upcoming power plant seeks to turn the island's natural volcanic activity into electricity, reducing reliance on dirty fuel and potentially lowering electricity costs.
"We hope to totally eliminate the need for diesel generation for electricity in Dominica by 2030," Dominica's energy minister, Dr. Vince Henderson, told the BBC.
The power plant will capture steam from naturally heated underground water reservoirs, warmed by nearby volcanic rock. This steam will be drawn up to the surface, driving turbines to generate electricity. The used steam will then be cooled back into water and pumped underground to begin the cycle again.
Aside from powering the island, Dominica plans to export surplus electricity to neighboring islands via undersea cables, positioning itself as a regional leader in sustainable energy.
"As a region heavily dependent on imported fossil fuels, the transition to green energy is not optional — it is existential," Dr. Didacus Jules, director general of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States Commission, told the BBC.
"This development also breathes new life into the long-held vision of a regional energy grid — one that connects our islands through clean, reliable, and affordable energy."
The project, a joint effort between the Dominican government and Ormat Technologies, is expected to cost tens of millions of U.S. dollars.
Funding will come from a combination of partnerships and international grants, including support from the U.S. and the U.K. NGOs from around the world are also contributing, alongside loans from the World Bank and the Caribbean Development Bank.
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It will be the second geothermal power plant in the Caribbean, joining Guadeloupe, which has a 15-megawatt station that has been in operation for three decades. Dominica aims for its facility to be operational by the end of 2025, per the BBC.
Geothermal energy relies on the Earth's natural heat, a renewable and continuously replenished resource, to produce electricity. It produces very low pollution output compared to dirty fuel energy coming from gas and oil.
Geothermal plants also use less land than many other energy sources. While solar or wind are other clean energy options, geothermal power provides steady, constant energy, making it wholly reliable.
"Geothermal is a great, zero-emission electricity that doesn't depend on wind or sun, and operates 24/7," Ormat's chief executive, Doron Blachar, told the BBC.
"It brings jobs to a country — both during construction and, more importantly, during the plant's operations — along with new technology and expertise."
Though the effort promises to bring clean energy to the island, it doesn't come without concerns — and some environmental compromises.
Local environmentalists told the BBC they're worried about the ecological impact of the facility's construction, noting that important vegetation has already been lost and wildlife displaced in the early stages of the project.
Other residents expressed fears that the geothermal plants could potentially trigger earthquakes. Ormat, however, stated that such incidents have never occurred in their operations.
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