UNIDO collaboration made it possible to turn São Tomé and Príncipe the first beneficiary of the OTEC Program

The oceans have an abundant and  little explored renewable energy potential that can boost the economy of small island states. Maritime renewable energy technologies offer clear synergies and opportunities to transition jobs and technology with the maritime oil and gas industry, as well as desalination and aquaculture, among others.

Ocean and marine energy development can therefore align closely with the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, as well as providing island and coastal communities with climate-safe recovery options in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Government of São Tomé and Príncipe recently announced a partnership with the Global OTEC Program for the development of the country's first Floating Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion platform.

OTEC, Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion is a renewable energy technology applicable to tropical and subtropical areas. Energy is produced using the temperature differential between the ocean surface and deep water.

This partnership was made possible thanks to the cooperation of UNIDO, which in September 2019 allowed the country to belong to the SIDS-DOCK (Small Island Developing States) family, through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, later leading to the partnership with the program OTEC. In addition, UNIDO will partially finance a pre-feasibility study of the project which will start shortly.

The OTEC project in the country is seen as one of the future options for São Tomé and Príncipe to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, as a consequence of decarbonisation.

More information in https://www.unido.org/