The Belize National Weather Service continues to expand its capabilities by installing new weather stations throughout the country. The Department of Disaster Risk Management unveiled state-of-the-art equipment on the Caye Caulker Village Municipal Airport runway this morning. The Energy Resilience for Climate Adaptation Project (ERCAP) aims to improve the sector’s ability to collect climate data and improve weather forecasts. The department will install 23 new automatic weather stations at strategic locations and previously unmonitored locations such as Caye Caulker. Disaster Risk Management Minister Andre Perez spoke about the installation and how the project will benefit the country.
Minister of Economy and Disaster Risk Management Andre Perez: “The National Weather Service’s total investment in this project exceeds $1.3 million. The acquisition and installation of 35 automated weather, rainfall and hydrometeorological stations cost an average of just over US$1 million. about US$30,000 per station. As the Minister responsible for National Meteorological Services, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Global Environment Facility, the World Bank and all other agencies that made this project a reality. would be greatly appreciated by the Belize National Meteorological Service if it were to complement its nationwide network of weather stations. The automatic weather stations, rain gauges and hydrometeorological stations procured and installed under this project will help the department and other partner agencies and departments in ensuring this. Timely and effective provision of information to the public. Alerts about hazardous weather and climate conditions. As one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to the effects of climate change, Cay Caulker, as the Chair noted earlier, is truly at the forefront. climate change, rising water levels, beach erosion and other issues The essence of severe weather is that we are in the midst of a hurricane season, and Belize must take advantage of these opportunities to build resilience to the extreme weather and climate events that are closely linked to climate change. As you all know, of course. As Mr. Leal noted, the energy industry, like many other parts of our economy, faces a high level of risk due to weather and climate uncertainty.
The project also aims to improve the resilience of Belize’s energy system to severe weather conditions and the long-term impacts of climate change, said Ryan Cobb, director of the Energy Logistics and e-Government Division of the Department of Public Utilities.
Ryan Cobb, director of energy for the Department of Public Utilities, said: “It may not be the first thing that comes to mind when we think about factors influencing energy markets, but weather can greatly impact energy markets, from power generation to cooling demand. There are many differences between meteorological conditions and energy use. Understanding this relationship is critical for energy industry stakeholders as weather conditions can cause large fluctuations in energy demand, affecting both energy consumers and suppliers. Energy production processes in applications ranging from individual buildings to renewable energy systems and utility grids are critical. Climate-induced weather changes and extreme weather events also influence the behavior of energy production, transmission and consumption in these systems. Sustainability of supply and demand is critical. recurring theme. Not only is it enough to produce the amount of electricity we need, but it also needs to be stable, reliable and able to withstand not only usage but also natural disasters. to grid failures, power shortages, increased energy demand and damage from natural disasters, highlighting the need for accurate weather data for effective planning, design, sizing, construction and management of buildings. For physical and energy systems, spatially representative weather data. necessary for analysis, forecasts and modeling. That’s what this project can deliver.”
The project is funded by a grant from the Global Environment Facility through the World Bank.
Post time: Oct-31-2024