Page 60 - CARILEC CE Journal CEMAY2021

They may provide technical and/or economic successful experience in Phases I and II in which
guidance to potential customers to help select the regulatory environment and market for the
suitable suppliers. Barbados case were explored. The design and
implementation of the Model has been extended to
• Financial Institutions – Available to support re- four (4) Member States, demonstrating the various
financing of the IUS program. approaches and leading to tangible business outputs
in which customers are able to access a broader
An essential feature of the IUS is that it can be range of energy services — including efficiency
adapted to the market realities and needs of different improvements, distributed renewables and efficient
CARICOM Member States. The initiative carefully cogeneration, heat (and cooling) services, transport
considered same and sought to pilot different electrification and demand response — in one
iterations of the Caribbean Model across selected comprehensive package, with monthly payments
Member States to reflect the IUS’s adaptability. on the electricity bill. Expanding the initiative to
Belize, Guyana and Jamaica provide an opportunity
The principal approaches that can be deployed to test the effectiveness and potential for the IUS
through the IUS Model are as follows: to be eventually scaled up region-wide. The models
employed in each of these countries vary in the type
▶ The regulated approach which is “customer- of approach (see above) and can also be adapted to
centric” and based on an open platform the realities of each local business case.
It is anticipated that implementation of the overall
▶ The unregulated approach which is “utility-centric” IUS Model will help to accelerate the use of ESCOs,
and based on a closed platform to meet regional and national climate change and
energy targets whilst simultaneously diversifying the
▶ The hybrid approach, which is customer-driven, portfolio of national utilities.
and utility screened During the third phase, additional country
assessments are being completed to prepare
More Recent Developments: Examining the Readiness Assessment Reports for Belize,
Market for IUS Guyana and Jamaica. This will significantly inform
The second phase activity examined, inter alia, the development of IUS business cases and
the regulatory environment and market structure implementation plans for utilities in Belize, Guyana
required for piloting the regulated IUS model within and Jamaica, respectively. These plans specifically
the electric utility in Barbados, Barbados Light and account for customer engagement strategies,
Power (BL&P), and was conducted in 2018. For this, market conditions, opportunities and consider the
the IUS model was adapted to suit the business role of technology service providers. These country
case for Barbados, including the preferred market assessments also deliberate on the Utility-based
approach for key stakeholders. The Model has since ESCO Model in terms of structure, organisation,
been incorporated into the Electricity Rate Structure, operation, and financing.
where it is treated as an optional service for on- Further, ongoing support is being provided to the
bill financing of “behind the meter” RE and EE for utilities in all four (4) pilot countries (Barbados, Belize,
customers. Guyana and Jamaica) to facilitate the implementation
Recognising that deployment of the IUS model is of the IUS model. These utilities will benefit from
an in-depth, multi-stakeholder process, considerable technical assistance – both virtual and onsite – as
work was done to engage regulators, utilities and the models are piloted in the respective countries.
potential client sectors.
Phase III also considers cross-sectional concerns
Current Developments: The IUS Pilot Programme to ensure the piloting of the IUS has a truly
The current phase, Phase III, considered the holistic and integrated impact across the
rollout phase of the IUS model, has been ongoing beneficiary countries. As such, this focuses on
since October 2019 and will effectively serve as areas including, but not limited to:
a proof of concept for the Model. It builds on the ▶ Market Segmentation and Customer Acquisition

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