Grenada introduced an eco-friendly electric vehicle at Radisson Grenada Beach Resort on the 2nd of October. The car was introduced in the second EU-Caribbean Global Gateway Conference on Sargassum. The vehicle runs on biogas produced from sargassum, rum waste, and sheep manure. The initiative aligns with the vision of eco-tourism and sustainable transportation.
The biomethane gasses produced from the sargassum are used to run the generator in the vehicle. When the charger is plugged into the electric vehicle, the raw materials used in to produce gas are broken down to supply power to the generator. As the generator activates, it charges the vehicle. The introduction of electric vehicles will ensure the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
The vehicle that runs on electricity and biogas will reduce the carbon footprint and emission of greenhouse gases as it will not use petrol and diesel as fuel. It also gives a solution to manage the ubiquitous sargassum across the beaches of the islands. While ensuring the reduction of carbon footprints, it also guarantees the cleanliness of beaches.
The CEO of Sargass Limited, Grenada, Benjamin Nestorovic, stated, “My one takeaway is momentum because I really think, especially that we have the conference here in Grenada, we can really make something out of this. And, for us as a start-up, we are fundraising right now to scale our operations up, and we see the fundraising possible.”
The 2nd EU-Caribbean Global Gateway Conference on Sargassum was attended by the Prime Minister and other ministers of Grenada, along with entrepreneurs and stakeholders. As the conference was closed on 2nd October, the 250 members addressed that the initiative requires strong motivation to deal with the environmental issues and establish a clean and sustainable island. The members also shared their experiences of the conference.
Sargassum is sea weed that is majorly visible on the shores of the Caribbean islands. When it is beneficial for marine diversity, it also interrupts the movement of divers and fishing industries. Sargassum also affects the scenic beach view which eventually affects the number of tourists. Therefore, the Grenada government decided to manage the excess Sargassum while using it to generate biogas for eco-friendly vehicles.
The government of Grenada encouraged European overseas countries, investors, and stakeholders of other Caribbean countries to invest and collaborate in sustainable environmental projects to make the island tourism friendly. The environmental revolution starts with an eco-friendly vehicle, but Grenada looks forward to create more such initiatives that will benefit the economy as well as tourism.
