Minister of Energy and Business, Senator Lisa Cummins, is encouraging Barbadians who meet the criteria to apply for the 2024 Energy Development Scholarship.
Speaking at a press briefing at her Ministry at Warrens Office Complex today, she announced that three new areas of study – Sustainable Energy Solutions; Utility-Scale Energy Storage; and the Management of Utility Power Grids – were being included in the list this time around.
Senator Cummins continued: “As the sector has continued to evolve and we have dealt with new priorities that have evolved with it, we have added three additional areas this year and we really want to encourage Barbadians to come forward and to apply for the scholarship because the development of skills is a critical aspect of the energy transition….
“I don’t think I need to say to anyone who is in the energy sector how absolutely critical all three of these areas are…. I think everyone is clear that the current challenges in the renewable energy sector, specifically the ability of persons to be connected to the grid, are as a direct consequence of us needing to have…battery storage…in order to allow for us to connect more of our solar PV and the wind, that we’re hoping for a little later, on to the grid. Without storage being added, the country simply cannot reach its transition goals.”
Senator Cummins stressed that in addition to the importation of batteries so people could be connected to the grid, there was also a need to build capacity for persons who understood utility scale storage solutions, or were skilled in the area of batteries and battery solutions.
She thanked Woodside Energy for funding the scholarship and called on other partners to follow suit, and give citizens an opportunity to specialise in areas relating to energy and energy transition.
“I want to invite the private sector, the international development partners who are working with us and the international corporate partners who are investing in the energy sector, alongside local partners, to integrate scholarship opportunities for Barbadians, in particular, in new areas of the energy transition.
“This is going to be one of the sectors of the future, if not the sector of the future, andwe want to encourage everyone to come on board and to work along with us,” she urged.
Director of the Natural Resources Department, Jamar White, stressed the importance of persons pursuing postgraduate studies in the area of energy, saying it is “very critical” as Barbados seeks to transition to a net zero island.
Mr. White said the winners of last year’s scholarships, Adeko Collymore and Kyle Nero, were currently preparing and finalising their theses.
Mr. Collymore is pursuing a Master’s of Science degree in Offshore Wind Energy, at the University of Strathclyde, while Mr. Nero is studying for a Master’s of Science degree in Data Science for Renewable Energy, at the University of Exeter, both in the United Kingdom.
Citizens of Barbados between 21 and 45 years old, who have been accepted to pursue full-time postgraduate master’s studies at accredited international universities for the 2024-2025 academic year, may now apply for the scholarship.
For further information on the scholarship, persons may contact the Ministry at 535-2505, or visit its website www.energy.gov.bb.