The Energy Transition in Saint Martin

Saint Martin’s energy transition is shaped by its status as a French overseas collectivity, aligning its energy strategy with France’s Energy Transition Law and the broader European Union climate goals. The island’s energy mix remains dominated by imported fossil fuels, but policy efforts increasingly focus on expanding renewable energy, particularly solar PV and small-scale distributed generation, to enhance energy security and reduce emissions. Energy planning on the French side of the island is guided by multi-year energy programming (PPE), which sets renewable energy targets and promotes the use of battery storage and smart grid technologies. Given the island’s limited land availability and dense urban landscape, rooftop solar and energy efficiency measures are prioritised over large-scale utility projects. There is no domestic production of critical minerals in Saint Martin, with full reliance on imports for key materials such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earth elements required for renewable technologies and storage systems. Core challenges include hurricane vulnerability, high infrastructure costs, and intermittency of renewables, while opportunities lie in solar expansion, EU climate finance, battery storage, and energy innovation. With policy backing from France and access to European funding, Saint Martin is well-positioned to advance its renewable energy ambitions and strengthen local energy resilience.