The Energy of Regional Integration: Harnessing Power, Building Unity

Amber Hoyte

Published on August 28, 2025

By Amber Hoyte, Operations Analyst, CCREEE 

Regional integration has long been recognized as an essential response to the unique vulnerabilities of the Caribbean. As former colonies, our nations emerged into independence small, resource-constrained, and new to the international system isolated and underrepresented. Through integration, however, we found a way to amplify our voices, confront challenges collectively, and pool our resources, human and otherwise. 

The signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas marked the beginning of that ambitious dream: a united Caribbean. This year, as CARICOM proudly celebrates its 52nd anniversary, it remains the oldest regional integration movement in the developing world still in existence. Over those five decades, CARICOM has delivered many notable successes, from regional frameworks for justice, economic cooperation, and disaster response, to advancements in public health and unified diplomatic coordination. 

As the youngest CARICOM institution, established in July 2015 by the Conference of Heads of Government, the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE) was given the mandate to accelerate the region’s energy transition. Our leaders understood then the importance of being proactive in pursuing a Just Transition, one that not only addresses climate and energy security concerns but also creates equitable opportunities for all Caribbean people. 

A decade on, CCREEE has established and maintained the Caribbean Energy Report Cards, launched the Caribbean Energy Knowledge Hub (CEKH), and developed the Integrated Resource and Resilience Planning (IRRP) Programme. Along the way, we have forged meaningful partnerships with regional and international bodies that amplify our collective reach and strengthen our ability to deliver impact. 

Energy as the Foundation of Resilience 

For Small Island Developing States (SIDS), the climate crisis is no longer a distant threat but an existential one. Global supply chain disruptions and shifting geopolitical dynamics underscore the urgency of evolving strategically and collectively. While traditional rhetoric has emphasized our small size and vulnerability, that cannot define us any longer. Collectively, CARICOM spans more than 177,000 square miles, with a combined Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of over 2 million km². Our diverse landscapes feature rivers, volcanoes, mineral deposits, and year-round sunshine. Most importantly, we are home to approximately 16 million skilled and creative people who have consistently “punched above our weight” on the world stage—making the Caribbean a true wellspring of possibility. 

Energy is at the heart of everything. It powers our healthcare systems, schools, creative industries, transportation, manufacturing, food production, and water treatment everything that sustains our societies. The Caribbean is abundantly endowed with solar, wind, geothermal, and marine energy resources that remain largely untapped. Harnessing these is not only about sustainability; it is about sovereignty, security, and self-determination. 

A Pathway to Integration and Leadership 

CCREEE continues to help unlock this potential by advancing mechanisms such as pooled procurement, which can aggregate demand across the region to secure renewable energy technologies and energy-efficient equipment at more competitive prices. The Caribbean is at a critical juncture: we are not only positioned to participate in the global energy transition, but to lead it. 

Beyond recognizing potential and building political will, we must embrace a simple truth: we are stronger together. Regional integration is not merely a political aspiration it is essential for our development. Our shared need for energy symbolizes our deeper need to collaborate, innovate, and move forward as one. 

While much of the work we do is technical, its impacts are profoundly human. By advancing integration through energy, we are creating opportunities, building capacity, and driving transformations that uplift entire communities. That is the promise of CARICOM at 52 and the future CCREEE is working tirelessly to help shape.