Why Choose Trinidad & Tobago: New Opportunities in Downstream Energy
anhydride and its derivatives from butane, as well as polyethylene from ethane. Inorganic Chemicals There is a tremendous opportunity for the development of inorganic chemical industries in Trinidad and Tobago, which can include industries such as calcium chloride, calcium hydroxide, calcium sulphate and magnesium hydroxide. The benefits of such projects include minimal infrastructural, land, natural gas and capital requirements, as well as a lower degree of complexity when compared to establishing larger, organic industries. Alternative Energy Industries Trinidad and Tobago can attract the development of alternative energy industries by leveraging its strengths in the energy industry. There could be opportunities to develop windbased and solar industries, as well as the manufacturing of solar panels. NEC is a member of the Renewable Energy Committee that is charged with the formulation of a Renewable Energy Policy. A Request for Proposals (RFP) is currently being developed for the development of a photovoltaic industry (PV) in Trinidad and Tobago. Energy Efficiency NEC has embarked on a study to establish a framework for the execution of energy audits for the determination of baseline data for the plants located on the Point Lisas Industrial Estate. This framework is expected to lead to the formulation of an Energy Efficiency Policy for the promotion of energy efficiency in the petrochemical sector. Local Content and Energy Services NEC led a team comprising the Energy Chamber of Trinidad and Tobago (ECTT), NGC, National Petroleum Marketing Company (NPMC) and Petroleum Company of Trinidad and Tobago Ltd (Petrotrin) in developing a framework for the creation of a sustainable energy services sector and local content policy. This report was submitted to the Ministry of Energy and Energy Affairs (MEEA) in September 2010 with several recommendations. The Honourable Minister of Energy and Energy Affairs Mrs. Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan, in her address to the ECTT’s Energy Conference earlier this year, announced that in order to create immediate opportunities for the energy services sector, two recommendations would be implemented in this fiscal year: 18 • Business Trinidad & Tobago
Figure 1: Key Focus Areas for Development
i. State Energy companies will be required to implement a local content policy to enhance local participation in their projects. ii. For all incoming projects, local energy service companies will be given specific packages within the project. Conclusion The establishment of new industries based on downstream natural gas activity requires careful planning and an appreciation, on the part of the public and private sector, of the opportunities that would be created as a result of the production and availability of raw materials that can support manufacturing industries. It will also require entrepreneurial energy and initiative on the part of the local private sector, partnerships with regional and international businesses. While, in the past, the development of the downstream energy sector has been mainly confined to Point Lisas, new investments will have other options such as the Union Industrial Estate located in La Brea. Downstream industries in plastics, inorganic chemicals, methanol, ammonia and melamine also have the significant potential for innovative, research-oriented collaboration between Universities and industry. The next phase of gas-based industrialisation, which has already commenced, will therefore see Trinidad and Tobago obtaining more value from its natural gas asset and, in so doing, lay the platform for sustainable economic development by creating meaningful linkages between the energy and manufacturing sectors.