Bermuda’s energy model will come under the spotlight at a conference held in Barbados next week which will be attended by Environment Minister Walter Roban.The Caribbean Renewable Energy Forum (CREF), which will be hosted in Bridgetown from Wednesday October 12 to Friday October 14, will bring together the largest gathering of renewable energy stakeholders in the Caribbean including energy decision-makers, providers of capital, developers, and renewable energy technology providers.It is anticipated that the forum will provide Bermuda with an opportunity to advance the principles and policies of its Energy White Paper, which was released in July 2011.The Energy White Paper sets targets for the Island to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and to increase the contribution of renewable energy sources.Minister Roban will join Senator Darcy Boyce, responsible for energy in Barbados, in a feature panel discussion comparing their respective approaches to energy policies. The session will analyse the two approaches, assess their relative feasibility, and determine which measures might practically be adopted by other jurisdictions in the region.Mr Roban said: “We hope to learn what other island nations have achieved, and to share our vision and plans to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, as espoused in our Energy White Paper. This conference will not just be a chance for dialogue around pertinent energy issues it will also be a catalyst for creating real solutions for some of the challenges we face with regard to these issues.”The permanent secretary for environment, planning and infrastructure strategy Dr Derrick Binns will accompany the Minister.Topics up for discussion will range from securing the future: the long-term view on energy and energy policy and new models for diversified generation and long-term profitability to ocean-derived energy and electric vehicles for the Caribbean.The format will be highly interactive and delegates can expect to hear multiple perspectives from some of the most influential figures working in the renewable energy industry.Other countries represented at the event will include Barbados; Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Curacao, the US, Canada, France, Martinique, Mexico, St Lucia, Guyana, New Zealand, Dominica, Panama and the Dominican Republic.CREF 2010 attracted 307 participants from 37 countries for two days of intense discussion, debate, and highly productive networking. Eleven government ministers from across the region participated last year, reflecting the significance both of the forum, and the underlying issues, for the Caribbean.Mr Roban said: “CREF will be an excellent opportunity for us to learn what our peers are doing to mitigate the rising price of oil as well as to examine various case-studies of successful renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in the Caribbean and around the world. Further, CREF will pinpoint the bottlenecks in legislation, tariffs, technology and finance and help delegates work towards real world solutions.”For more information visit http://www.caribbeanenergyforum.com/