00:00During the opening ceremony of the Caribbean EVN Hybrid Conference, an exhibition at the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry
00:07and Commerce,
00:08the Chamber's President, Karen Yipchuk, said that for many years, Trinidad and Tobago has spoken about diversification beyond the traditional
00:16energy sector.
00:17If strategically positioned, Trinidad and Tobago has the potential not merely to participate in this emerging industry, but to lead
00:27within the Caribbean as a regional hub for specialized EV and hybrid services, technical training, maintenance, certification, safety systems, logistics
00:41support.
00:42However, the TT Chamber's President said opportunities alone are not enough.
00:45Readiness matters. Execution matters. And increasingly, safety matters.
00:55While there has been an apparent growth in EV and hybrid sales locally, there are many who still have reservations
01:00about purchasing such vehicles.
01:02The TT Chamber's President had questions for the policymakers.
01:06For example, are our commercial buildings, residential developments, and public facilities adequately prepared to safely accommodate EV charging infrastructure?
01:21Do existing fire suppression systems adequately address battery-related incidents?
01:30What standards should govern charging stations in commercial and residential environments?
01:36Minister in the Ministry of Public Utilities, Clyde Elder, addressed such concerns during his keynote address.
01:44If we are serious about transition, then we must also be serious about policy, infrastructure, and standards.
01:53What does this mean?
01:56It means establishing national EV and hybrid standards and regulations, expanding charging infrastructure, transitioning governments' fleet into hybrid and electric
02:08vehicles so that the state leads by example,
02:11and embracing smarter technologies that improve accessibility and user experience.
02:17The police service recently acquired new EVs.
02:21Minister Elder said planning and data collection matter.
02:26A key partner in this transition is the Trent Tobago Electricity Commission, TNTech, which has already incorporated electric vehicles' demand
02:36into its 2026 energy sales forecast,
02:40and confirmed that the national grid can support current and near-term EV growth.
02:47Minister Elder also spoke about another part of the Public Utilities Ministry's portfolio, ensuring proper battery disposal and recycling.
02:57Improper disposal of EV and hybrid batteries can create serious environmental risk, including groundwater contamination, landfill fires, and irreversible resource
03:08loss,
03:09consequences we simply cannot afford as a small island-developing state.
03:14The TT Chamber partnered with Apexis Risk Innovation Group to host what it called the Caribbean's first fully dedicated EV
03:24and hybrid conference,
03:25an exhibition focused specifically on safety and readiness.
03:31In 2014's greens went 사례 Free Mode and Everеч bor mondmond.
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