Belize is a regional leader in the use of bioenergy as a base load energy source. Many CARICOM member states, particularly those on the mainland and the larger island states, have good biomass potential. Waste-to-energy technologies are considered to be thermal power plants in that they raise steam to drive a turbine, which then drives an electrical generator. These types of plants can have characteristics that make it difficult for them to respond to variable changes in a utilities power curve - for example, if there are large numbers of intermittent power plants such as wind and solar.