Siana Teelucksingh

About Siana Teelucksingh

I have been working in the Caribbean renewable energy space for the past 8 years. I worked across the spectrum of energy projects from feasibility studies of large-scale, co-located solar panel manufacturing plants (think Pt. Lisas 2.0), to designing and installing off-grid residential solar and storage microgrids. I have built financial decision-making tools for islands such as Dominica in the Caribbean, and Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. As islands embark upon their renewable energy transitions, a strategy and plan based on informed decisions is needed. Over the past 6 years, I have worked with the Rocky Mountain Institute\'s Islands Energy Program on Integrated Resource Plans for Caribbean Nations. Energy is a complex sector and underpins every aspect of a nation\'s economy. Energy is the backbone of tourism, manufacturing, business and entrepreneurship. In many islands, ‘energy’ is often oversimplified as the import of fossil fuels to power centralized power stations and for transport. Reducing the meaning and complexity of the energy sector to this description, means we are poorly defining the problem. Thus, we put ourselves at an inherent disadvantage of being able to grasp opportunities and find sustainable and workable solutions. An IRRP takes a deep look at the electricity sector. We deconstruct every aspect and re-construct the puzzle pieces with the participation of the Ministry of Energy, the electric utility and the regulator. It also seeks to improve resilience in the energy sector with the cognizance of the increasing frequency and strength of hurricanes, the vulnerability of small islands to other events such as earthquakes, flood and drought. This allows full participation and creates an integrated picture. Decision makers can then identify opportunities to improve, adapt and create a cleaner, more resilient electricity system. Here\'s an example of St. Lucia\'s IRP: https://rmi.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Islands_Saint_lucia_Energy_Roadmap_Report_2016.pdf. In summary, this is the theme of my role in the energy transition. To integrate disparate data sets, to create a cohesive picture, to calculate benefits and trade-offs of various decisions, and to enable informed decision-making in the energy sector. I have also developed educational energy videos for my home country of Trinidad and Tobago in partnership with IAMovement, an NGO.

Experience

1. Manager

   RMI

   Aug 2020 — Present · Boulder, CO, US

Education

• University of the West Indies

  BSc, Petroleum Geoscience; Geophysics, Petroleum Engineering; Communication Skills

  2005 — 2008

• St. Augustine Girls' High School

  A Levels, Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry

  2002 — 2004

• Imperial College London

  MSc., Sustainable Energy Futures

  2011 — 2012