Trinidad and Tobago discusses UK's phosphate fuel arragnments with Lord Ahmed of Wimbledon

The Minister of Energy and Energy Industries of Trinidad and Tobago, Senator Franklin Khan conducted a meeting with Lord Ahmed of Wimbledon, United Kingdom. Minister of South Asia and the Commonwealth through videoconferencing.

Two of them discussed UK phosphate fuel announcement made by Boris. Johnson, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, on December 12, 2020, at the Climate Change Summit 2020, in which the United Kingdom aimed to end its direct taxpayer support for fossil fuel projects abroad.

Lord Ahmed of Wimbledon gave information in the context of the announcement of major policy changes as well as assured United Kingdom Minister Khan's commitment to work with Trinidad and Tobago.

He clarified that the announcement had no effect on the current operations of UK energy firms operating in Trinidad and Tobago, namely Shell and BP, as these contracts relate to foreign investment abroad and the support of taxpayers in the United Kingdom.

Minister Khan accepted the clarification and confirmed the long history of cooperation between the United Kingdom and Trinidad and Tobago as members of the Commonwealth.

Minister Khan then underscored the pioneering role of UK energy firms, Lightsource, BP and Shell, for the development of electricity from renewable energy, which will form an important aspect of this country's energy mix.

The solar project, which is slated to begin construction in 2021, will take about 18 months to complete and will be the largest in the region. This will contribute to compliance with Trinidad and Tobago to reduce carbon emissions and achieve the goal of ten percent renewable energy in Trinidad and Tobago.

As per the Paris Agreement commitments of Trinidad and Tobago, Minister Khan also took the opportunity to discuss action to meet this country's cumulative goal of reducing carbon emissions by 15 percent by 2030 from industry, transport and power generation sectors.

Trinidad and Tobago's commitment to reducing emissions from transport fuels is being made with CNG fuel in a phased manner. In the field of electricity generation, Minister Khan mentioned that Trinidad and Tobago is one of about six countries in the world where 100 percent of electricity is generated from natural gas.

Minister Khan supported the projection of renewable energy in the field of electricity generation and said that from a purely commercial standpoint, it would result in some replacement of the natural gas of this country from its domestic use for local electricity generation so that foreign exchange Potentially exported to earn.