Urgent need for well-structured consultation

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Urgent need for well-structured consultation

The Government of Trinidad & Tobago needs to urgently start the proposed consultation process with the oil, gas and petrochemical industry.  The emphasis of the consultation process must be on how upstream investment dollars are going to be attracted to Trinidad & Tobago in the context of huge cuts in global capital expenditure in the current low commodity price environment.

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No technical barriers for injecting Renewables into Grid in Trinidad and Tobago

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No technical barriers for injecting Renewables into Grid in Trinidad and Tobago

There are no technical barriers preventing the use of Renewables in Trinidad and Tobago. This from Acting General Manager from T&TEC Courtenay Mark during the panel discussion on Achieving 10% renewables by 2021 during the Green Energy Day at the Trinidad and Tobago Energy Conference. Meeting the target however is predicated on several changes on the regulatory and pricing side, which therefore throws the ball in the court of the regulators. 

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Developing a Carbon Market puts TT on the Map

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Developing a Carbon Market puts TT on the Map

The Energy Chamber has put Trinidad & Tobago on the map for the work being done in the development of a carbon market or emissions trading system (ETS), according to Katie Sullivan, Director of the Americas, International Emissions Trading Association. 

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Technical Failures Due to Ageing

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Technical Failures Due to Ageing

Physical plants are subject to age-related degradation mechanisms. Examples of these would be classified as follows; corrosion, fatigue, wear, metallurgical transformations, non-metallic degradation, and subsistence.

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Let’s not waste this recession!

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Let’s not waste this recession!

The recycling movement locally has been gaining some momentum in recent years, at least in terms of awareness, even if action is still confined to a relatively small sector of the population.  There are more bins and recycling points throughout the country than ever before, even if many of them are filled with rubbish.

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Style vs Content: A perspective on the effectiveness of the presentations at the Energy Conference

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Style vs Content: A perspective on the effectiveness of the presentations at the Energy Conference

There is an advertisement on the radio for communication training service that ends with a most dubious declaration that “It is not what you say, but how you say it”.  While this statement that ‘style trumps content’ might be true in one of the hallowed governance institutions of our country where any content is allowed once one conforms to the rules of the Speaker, it is certainly not an operating principle for communications in the world of business. 

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It's time to renegotiate

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It's time to renegotiate

Sanctity of contracts. This is probably an unexpected first line in an article advocating the need to renegotiate contractual arrangements however it is a very relevant consideration. Sanctity of contract refers to the principle that once a party enters into a contract, that party will honour its contractual obligations.

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Benefitting from a conditional pledge under the new climate accord

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Benefitting from a conditional pledge under the new climate accord

The Paris climate pledges submitted through the system of Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) action plans aim for global decarbonisation. The Trinidad & Tobago pledge includes the concept of a Caribbean Carbon Market (CCM) hosted by the Energy Chamber of Trinidad & Tobago. The market plan has been vetted by Bloomberg New Energy Finance and was showcased at its 2015 summit in New York City. 

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Economic outlook for Trinidad and Tobago

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Economic outlook for Trinidad and Tobago

In addition to the real and perceived negative socio-economic effects of low oil and gas prices and record low production levels, in Trinidad and Tobago (where God is alleged to have been born/naturalised), weak macroeconomic statistics have given rise to public disagreement on whether the economy is in a recession.

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Philanthropy in times of recession

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Philanthropy in times of recession

Since the announcement in early December by the Governor of the Central Bank that Trinidad and Tobago has experienced its fourth consecutive quarter of negative economic growth, the “R” word is becoming more commonplace in conversations – recession.

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Need to monitor upstream investment decisions

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Need to monitor upstream investment decisions

Investment levels in the Trinidad & Tobago upstream sector have remained at relatively high levels despite cuts, internationally, in capital expenditure due to low commodity prices. In December 2015, the Minister of Energy and Energy Industries, Nicole Olivierre, reported that investment was expected to be approximately US$3.0 billion in 2015 and in 2016. 

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Energy Chamber partners with NESC to certify energy workers

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Energy Chamber partners with NESC to certify energy workers

In December 2015, the Energy Chamber partnered with the National Energy Skills Centre (NESC) to assess and certify the skills of 350 experienced, but uncertified, workers in the energy sector. The initiative involves the certification of the workers against a customised standard for welders, pipefitters, and fabricators. 

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Advocating for action against CO2 emitters

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Advocating for action against CO2 emitters

Apply sanctions to those oil and gas-producing companies in Trinidad and Tobago who vent carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions into the atmosphere, rather than sequestering it underground – that's the firm advice of the country's leading geologist, Dr. Krishna Persad. 

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