Ten journalists from across the Caribbean have been selected for the first-ever reporting grants offered by the Caribbean Energy Transition Reporting Initiative (CETRI), marking a major step in strengthening regional coverage of clean energy and climate resilience.

The inaugural cohort reflects a diverse mix of veteran reporters and emerging storytellers, all focused on producing in-depth, people-centered journalism on the Caribbean’s transition to low-carbon development. The grants come on the heels of CETRI’s expanded 2025 training programme, which included multiple virtual sessions and its first in-person workshop in Dominica, themed “Science Meets Storytelling.”

CETRI, launched to build regional capacity for high-quality energy reporting, aims to ensure that Caribbean communities have access to reliable, research-driven information about renewable energy, climate adaptation and innovation across the islands.

A Cohort Spanning the Caribbean

The ten selected journalists will explore a wide range of energy transition themes, from geothermal development in Dominica to the role of solar energy in Guyana’s homestead programme for single mothers. The stories also touch on workforce readiness, agricultural innovation, youth manufacturing, entrepreneurship and post-hurricane clean energy recovery.

Grant recipients and story themes include:

• Ryan Bachoo (Trinidad & Tobago): How the twin-island nation is preparing its workforce for the renewable energy era

• Elesha George (Antigua & Barbuda): The race to determine which renewable source will drive Caribbean energy independence

• Roseann Pile (Antigua & Barbuda): Farmers who generate power from sunlight and pig waste

• Alvin Alexander (Saint Lucia): Efforts to future-proof Saint Lucia’s energy sector

• Soana Benjamin (Dominica): Renewable opportunities for young manufacturers

• Linda Straker (Grenada): How Grenadians are saving money through solar adoption

• Ari Aziz Sheldon Shaw (St. Vincent & the Grenadines): Entrepreneurs energizing the region’s clean-tech movement

• Shammah Laurent (Dominica): What Dominica’s geothermal advancement means for people and the environment

• Cherrian Pearl Stephen (Grenada): A community’s solar-powered comeback after hurricane devastation

• Jarryl Bryan (Guyana): Solar energy’s role in empowering single mothers through Guyana’s homestead programme

Together, these stories aim to bridge the gap between science, policy and lived experiences, delivering coverage that is both informative and grounded in the realities of Caribbean people.

A Growing Movement in Regional Energy Reporting

CETRI Project Coordinator Alison Kentish described the grants as a milestone for regional journalism.

“This first round of grants is a powerful affirmation of what we envisioned when CETRI was created,” she said. “Caribbean journalists are ready to tell deeper, clearer, more people-centered stories about energy transition. By supporting their work, we’re not just reporting on change, we’re also helping to build the informed, resilient, community-driven future our region deserves”

Building Momentum Into 2026

With interest in clean energy and climate resilience rising across the Caribbean, CETRI plans to expand its training courses, expert networks and reporting support in 2026. The initiative says it will continue positioning journalists at the intersection of science and storytelling, ensuring the region’s energy future is documented with accuracy, depth and human impact.