Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC) and the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), along with its affiliate, the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism (CAST), have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at strengthening collaboration between the Caribbean’s energy and tourism sectors.
The MOU was signed on Monday, October 20, 2025, at the commencement of the annual CARILEC Resilient Energy Community (CAREC) Conference and Exhibition, held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. This groundbreaking partnership seeks to advance sustainable energy use, promote renewable energy adoption, and enhance climate resilience across the Caribbean’s tourism and hospitality industry. The MOU underscores both sectors’ shared commitment to ensuring a sustainable and secure energy future for the Caribbean region, while supporting the region’s economic growth and environmental stewardship.
The agreement provides a framework for cooperation in five key areas, namely, knowledge sharing and research, policy and regulatory improvements, disaster resilience, membership exchanges and cross-promotions, and capacity building and workforce development. The MOU fully aligns with CARILEC’s vision of “working together to realize a sustainable energy future for people of the Caribbean.”
CARILEC has also expanded its membership categories to include Large Commercial Prosumers; businesses, and institutions operating a minimum of 20 kW of grid-connected generation capacity under self-generation and feed-in frameworks/compensation programs for excess electricity sent to the grid by these renewable energy systems. Through this initiative, tourism operators and other self-generating enterprises are now eligible for membership within the association and can now contribute directly to regional dialogue, share their experiences, and help inform policies that support cleaner, more resilient, and economically viable energy systems across the Caribbean.
Signing the MOU for CARILEC was Mr. Wayne M. Caines, Chairman of the Board of Directors and President and CEO of Bermuda Electric Light Company. Speaking at the signing, Dr. Cletus Bertin, Executive Director of CARILEC, highlighted the importance of the collaboration, “Energy and tourism are two pillars of Caribbean development. Through this partnership, we are bridging these sectors to create opportunities for real, tangible progress in renewable energy deployment, energy efficiency, and disaster resilience, ensuring that the Caribbean remains both competitive and sustainable.”
Sanovnik Destang, President of the CHTA, emphasized the shared responsibility to build a resilient future, “Tourism and energy may seem like separate worlds, but they are deeply connected. Hotels and resorts are among the largest energy users in our region, while utilities are essential partners in our growth and resilience…Across our destinations, we see progress; solar and wind projects in Aruba and Barbados, geothermal development in Dominica, and policy reforms in Saint Lucia that are helping modernize our energy framework and encourage renewable investment. Yet renewable energy still provides less than three percent of tourism’s power use. That must change. By combining tourism’s innovation with CARILEC’s technical expertise, we can lower costs, cut emissions, and strengthen resilience in the tourism sector.”
The MOU provides for the establishment of a Joint Working Group composed of representatives from each organization and sector, to develop annual work plans, oversee implementation, and review progress. It will remain in effect for three years, renewable by mutual agreement.
Ultimately, this alliance empowers Caribbean utilities and tourism stakeholders to work together toward a cleaner, more resilient, and energy-efficient future that strengthens sustainable economic growth and competitiveness across the region.