The dramatic landscapes of Caribbean islands are rainforests, waterfalls, volcanoes and hot springs, which are a safe haven for ecotourists seeking adventures.

Last year, it attracted 83,966 visitors, a 13% increase from 2023 and led by new direct flights in the U.S. and more hotel openings.

The Dominican government, which will be nicknamed "Natural Island", is now recovering from the widespread damage caused by Hurricane Maria in 2017, will use its natural resources to generate electricity for its 66,000 residents and tourism sector.

To end the country's long-term reliance on imported diesel generators, a geothermal power station is being built in the south of the country. It will enter the boiling hot water contained in natural underground reservoirs, which are heated by surrounding volcanic rocks.

The 10-megawatt factory is being built near the village of Laudat in the Lush Roseau Valley and is scheduled to begin operations by the end of this year.

The steam will be pulled to the surface to drive the turbine that will generate electricity. The steam used is then cooled to the point where it becomes water again and then reinjected underground to restart the process.

"We hope to completely eliminate the demand for Dominican diesel generation by 2030," Dominican Energy Minister Dr Vince Henderson told the BBC. The government also said geothermal plants will reduce electricity bills.

Not only the Dominican (not to be confused with similarly named Dominican Republic), it can also benefit. Long-term plans include exporting residual electricity through submarine cables to nearby islands.

Dr. Henderson added that he hopes the success of geothermal plants will inspire other Caribbean countries to explore more renewable energy sources.

The Dominican geothermal plant will be just the second in the Caribbean. The French overseas division, Guadeloupe, has been operating a 15-megawatt station for 30 years.

The Roseau Valley facility was created through a public-private partnership between the Dominican government and Ormat Technologies, a renewable energy company in the Americas.

It costs tens of millions of dollars and is partly funded by grants and investments from several governments, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan and New Zealand. Additional funding from various NGOs around the world as well as loans from the World Bank and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).

The Dominican government has also invested a lot of resources into the project, which requires high upfront costs and complex exploration processes, including testing temperatures deep underground.

"Find resources is the first challenge. Then you need someone like us to build the facility," said Doron Blachar, CEO of Ormat. "From the production of the element, ship it to Dominican, mainly from Israel, and then build the power plant."

Ormat has designed and built renewable energy systems for fifty years and owns and operates geothermal plants in various countries from the Americas to Africa.

“Geothermal heat is a huge zero-emission electricity that is not dependent on the wind or the sun, and operates 24/7,” Mr Blachar explained. “In the construction process, and more importantly, it, along with new technologies and expertise, brings work to a country during the operation of the factory.”

However, despite the green certificate of geothermal, the new Dominican factory has attracted attention among some local residents, including environmentalist Atherton Martin, who fear the impact of the ecologically valuable Roseau Valley.

“There is no other area in the Caribbean,” he said, adding that during the exploration, vegetation included vegetation in “eliminating wildlife”, including endemic frogs.

Other residents told the BBC about the amount of money the project cost. Of course, the Dominican government alone has been said to have invested about $15 million (£11.3 million) for a few years.

Dr. Henderson acknowledged that the project is “not easy” for a country that has “a huge challenge” when it has to be substantially repaired after Hurricane Maria in 2017. But he insists that it is "in the end worth it."

Another common fear of geothermal plants is the potential to trigger earthquakes.

Ormat said it had never had such an incident in its years of operation.

Blachar believes that the Caribbean region may become a "hub" for geothermal technology.

Ormat acquired the Guadeloupe factory from the French government in 2017 and is now expanding it to increase its capacity to 25 MW.

With the support of the CDB and driven by the Eastern Caribbean (OECS) Commission, work is also being carried out to explore and develop Grenada's geothermal potential and to develop geothermal potential.

Ormat will operate the Dominic processing plant for 20 years before handing it over to state power provider Domlec. Blachar estimates that about 30 locals will be hired on streaming later this year.

Fred John, managing director of the Dominican geothermal development company owned by the government, said that sufficient electricity should be generated initially to meet the peak Dominican power demand.

The authorities are confident that the plant will soon support the entire country and have enough backup power to export some people to neighboring islands.

Mr John said the facility would be “a test case as an attractive alternative to fossil fuels”. He added: "The rest of the OEC will benefit from the lessons learned here - existing and ineffective methods."

The OEC recently set a goal to reach 30% renewable energy in 10 years, with some countries including the Dominican and St. Kitts targeting 100%.

Dr. Didacus Jules, Director General of OECS, described the Dominican geothermal project as a “bold and visionary step”.

"As a region that relies on imported fossil fuels, the transition to green energy is not optional - it exists," he told the BBC.

“This development also brings new life into the long-standing vision of the regional energy grid, which connects our islands through clean, reliable and affordable energy.”