WIRE Network Transitions to CCREEE

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WIRE Network Transitions to CCREEE: A New Chapter for Women’s Leadership in the Caribbean Energy Transition

Bridgetown, Barbados – September 1, 2025 — The Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE) has officially assumed stewardship of the Women in Renewable Energy (WIRE) Network, marking a transformative moment for women’s leadership in the region’s sustainable energy sector.

Launched in 2016, WIRE has grown into the Caribbean’s leading platform for women professionals in renewable energy, with more than 600 members across the region and eight successful mentorship cohorts. First incubated by RMI, the programme spent a period at the Clinton Climate Initiative before returning to RMI’s Energy Transition Academy. Over the years, WIRE has empowered women through mentorship, technical training, leadership development, and community ‘Call-to-Action’ projects. Now, under CCREEE’s stewardship, WIRE will expand its impact by integrating a youth outreach element and adding study tours—immersive learning exchanges that expose participants to diverse energy systems, connect them with global best practices, and foster peer-to-peer collaboration across borders. WIRE will also introduce expanded technical training in frontier energy areas such as marine renewable energy, artificial intelligence (AI), and cybersecurity for energy systems. Together, these activities position WIRE to scale its influence with institutional strength and regional integration.

“WIRE was founded on the belief that the clean energy transition must also be a just and inclusive one. Over the past decade, the network has supported hundreds of women in breaking barriers, building skills, and advancing into leadership roles across the Caribbean energy sector,” said Ije Okeke, Managing Director of Global South at RMI. “RMI is proud to pass the baton to CCREEE, a center with deep regional ties and strong technical expertise, and we remain committed to partnering with CCREEE to amplify WIRE’s global impact”.

WIRE’s integration into CCREEE solidifies its role as the premier regional platform for gender equity in energy. Under CCREEE’s stewardship, WIRE will deliver technical and leadership training for 30+ mid-career women annually, expand its two-year mentorship programme, introduce youth and school outreach to build the next generation of women leaders in STEM and energy, and organize experiential study tours that help participants translate knowledge into practice.

This youth dimension represents an exciting new chapter for WIRE. By reaching young women still in school and considering their future career paths, WIRE is ensuring that gender equity in energy begins at the pipeline level. Through outreach campaigns, mentorship links with secondary school students, and integration into STEM-focused initiatives, WIRE will nurture early interest in renewable energy and open pathways for girls to pursue leadership in science, technology, and engineering. Kiesha Farnum, Head of Partnerships and Programmes at CCREEE, emphasized: “The CCREEE is the ideal home for WIRE, we’re not only equipping mid-career women with leadership and technical skills but also expanding into frontier areas such as marine renewable energy, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. By embedding mentorship for girls still in school, we are preparing young women for the jobs of the future ensuring they have the confidence, skills, and vision to lead the Caribbean’s energy transformation.”

As an institution of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and member of the Global Network of Regional Sustainable Energy Centres (GN-SEC), CCREEE will leverage its mandate and global alliances to expand WIRE’s visibility and partnerships. WIRE’s work will be integrated into CARICOM energy strategies, ensuring that gender equality is embedded in regional policy and practice.

Dr. Mohammed Nagdee, Executive Director of CCREEE, added: “This handover represents more than symbolic transition, it is a bold affirmation of the Caribbean’s unwavering commitment to a gender-equitable energy future. By placing youth at the heart of WIRE we are not only amplifying the leadership of women today but also cultivating the innovators, investors, and changemakers who will define the region’s clean energy transformation tomorrow.  Through our partnership with RMI, we are ensuring that mentorship, training, and advocacy become powerful levers for accelerating women-led innovation and investment across the Caribbean and beyond."” The transition is formalized under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between CCREEE and RMI, ensuring ongoing collaboration in mentorship, training, resource mobilization, and global advocacy. Together, the institutions will work to accelerate women-led innovation, investment, and leadership in the Caribbean’s clean energy transformation.

With its new institutional home, WIRE is poised to not only strengthen the leadership pipeline for women in the Caribbean but also to inspire and connect with women across the Global South.

About CCREEE

The Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE) is a multilateral regional development organisation agreed upon by the Heads of the Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in 2015 and becoming operational in 2018 under its Inter-Governmental Agreement to advancing sustainable energy through policy support, capacity building, and regional collaboration. Established in 2018, CCREEE is headquartered in Bridgetown, Barbados, and is a proud member of the Global Network of Regional Sustainable Energy Centres (GN-SEC).

About RMI

Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) is an independent, nonpartisan nonprofit founded in 1982 that transforms global energy systems through market-driven solutions to secure a prosperous, resilient, clean energy future for all. In collaboration with businesses, policymakers, funders, communities, and other partners, RMI drives investment to scale clean energy solutions, reduce energy waste, and boost access to affordable clean energy in ways that enhance security, strengthen the economy, and improve people’s livelihoods. RMI is active in over 60 countries.