BRIDGETOWN, Barbados — In celebration of World Ocean Day, Global OTEC brought ocean energy education to life for students at the Young Explorers School in Barbados. The educational activity, held last Monday, introduced Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) technology to 72 students, showcasing its potential to transform the island’s future.
The event featured a screening of an animated video that explained the science behind OTEC, followed by the distribution of the company’s Activity Book, a specially designed educational tool that simplifies complex renewable energy concepts into fun, engaging content for young learners.
Global OTEC’s project analyst, Kashawn Hall, a proud Barbadian, led the session, offering students a local perspective on how the island could benefit from innovative, ocean-based energy solutions. He highlighted his own experience in becoming interested in renewable energy when reading an article about wind turbines in his late teens and now working to bring OTEC to the forefront of ocean renewables.
“More than just that, we at Global OTEC also want to foster the same passion and intrigue in the younger generations for OTEC and other renewables as they are the future for Small Island Developing States such as Barbados. It was a pleasure engaging with the children, answering their questions, and seeing how knowledgeable they are as well, a knowledge that came later in life for me. Fostered from a young age, this knowledge is ideal for pushing our island forward”, Hall said.
OTEC technology uses the natural temperature difference between warm surface and cold deep seawater in tropical regions to produce clean electricity all year round. Barbados, currently dependent on imported fossil fuels like diesel, has limited options for domestic renewable energy, but a significant untapped ocean thermal energy potential. With large access to the temperature gradient needed for OTEC to operate, the country can produce clean baseload power from the ocean 24/7, all year round.
This initiative showcases Global OTEC’s commitment to public engagement and its focus on education as a key part of advancing renewable energy in Small Island Developing States (SIDS). By involving the next generation of islanders in the conversations from an early age, the company is contributing to building awareness, inspiring action, and supporting sustainable energy pathways for island nations around the world.
“We believe the energy transition needs to be as much about imagination as it is about engineering. By reaching young people in Barbados with ideas like OTEC, we’re planting seeds for a future powered by the ocean, one that’s homegrown, resilient, and right for island nations”, highlighted Global OTEC Founder and CEO Dan Grech.
