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‘Govt to take priority above residents with solar panels’ – Ron R. Potter

Chairman of the Board of Directors of the BVI Electricity Corporation (BVIEC) Mr. Ron R. Potter said that the pilot for the use of solar panels will commence on government buildings. Photo: VINO
Stating that the whole matter of solar powered street lights falls under the ambits of the Government of the day, General Manager of BVIEC Mr Leroy A. E. Abraham said that the process of pilot projects for this will continue. Photo: VINO
Stating that the whole matter of solar powered street lights falls under the ambits of the Government of the day, General Manager of BVIEC Mr Leroy A. E. Abraham said that the process of pilot projects for this will continue. Photo: VINO
Members of the media on Tuesday September 2, 2014 were brought up to speed with the developments in the BVIEC. Photo: VINO
Members of the media on Tuesday September 2, 2014 were brought up to speed with the developments in the BVIEC. Photo: VINO
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – The man at the grass-roots level continues to get the bitter end of the stick as he will be the last to be targeted by Government for an ease of his economic constraints.

For a long time residents have been complaining bitterly about the strains and pains of paying heavily for electricity even as they do their best at conserving. Some find themselves in a position of having to choose between paying their electricity bill and putting food on their tables.

Yet as the NDP Government seeks to embark on a pilot project to test the use of solar power, they would be starting off with its use on government buildings.

Research has shown that in many countries where this was piloted, especially in the Caribbean, governments had opted to start it in communities considered the ‘grass-roots’ level.

“I know the aspects of renewable energy are on everybody’s mind,” stated the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the BVI Electricity Corporation (BVIEC) Mr. Ron R. Potter as he addressed members of the media on Tuesday September 2, 2014.

He said that they have already engaged renewable energy consultants and in the very near future they would be issuing requests for proposals to install solar panels on some key government buildings.

“Then separately we should be embarking on a utility scale project which would provide renewable energy unto the grid which would be to the benefit to all consumers,” said Mr Potter. He further said that the government currently has some conservation programmes where they are converting light bulbs to LED and street lights to LED and solar.

“Again we are very much a key partner with the government in that process,” said Potter. He also said that there is a pending water heating programme which the Ministry of Communications and Works wants to bring on line.

“That’s still in its gestation stages and hopefully we can work out all the issues there and sort of introduce that programme,” he said.

He said that in terms of renewable energy and conservation solutions that they are looking at to achieve their objectives, they include the introduction of power by renewable means such as solar, wind and waste energy or waste heat. This he said will be done in two ways.

“Either through the electricity corporation in its own right or through customers generating,” he explained.

He further said that the BVIEC has delivered draft legislation to the Minister for Communications and Works Honourable Mark H. Vanterpool who he said will be taking it to the House of Assembly in the very near future.

Stating that the whole matter of solar powered street lights falls under the ambits of the Government of the day, General Manager of BVIEC Mr Leroy A. E. Abraham said that the process of pilot projects for this will continue.

“We have had a lot of companies under the LED street lighting programme, a lot of the companies that have participated in the pilot….it think it’s something close to approximately 10 major manufacturers that have had participated in our LED road way lighting pilots,” he said.

“Once we have been able to gather all of the information…. The government naturally not having the expertise in this area that is where BVIEC comes in to provide them with the guidance that they need,” he said.

12 Responses to “‘Govt to take priority above residents with solar panels’ – Ron R. Potter”

  • pat (04/09/2014, 08:39) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Another example where the ndp does not care about the people but there self
    • @pat (04/09/2014, 13:04) Like (4) Dislike (2) Reply
      So who pays for the electricity used in government buildings -- not the public? Stop being myopic!
  • chad (04/09/2014, 09:18) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply
    We are being ripped off by the department and regardless of what is done we will still be ripped off. Too many persons are hired to do nothing and the consumers have to foot the bill .Look at the kind of surcharge domestic households have to pay. The more you conserve the higher the bills with no added utilities. Something is wrong. We need honesty.
  • David (04/09/2014, 09:58) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Neither NDP or VIP can be viewed as a friend to the environment or consumers when it comes to advancing alternative energy. Neither party has a record of any comprehensive proposal or results in this area.
  • Agree (04/09/2014, 10:22) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    I totally agree with "wow". After doing research and the maths, I recently spent over $1,600.00 to retro-fit my business establishment with LED bulbs to replace the flouresent ones and put eletric timers on appliances that use the most electricity. Even after three months, my monthly bills are still the same, and in some cases have increased. Something is not adding up.
  • fish (04/09/2014, 11:43) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Ron keep your head on
  • Scary Mary (04/09/2014, 12:03) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
    All of our elected representatives should be ashamed of themselves. The rest of the developed and enlightened world knows how important alternative energy and renewable resources are to us and future generations. Yet they have dragged their feet for decades and have done virtually nothing to promote the use of our two most readily available sources of energy, the wind and the sun!

    The reason they continue to deny Virgin Islanders access to renewable energy is so they can keep us paying ridiculous fees to the BVIEC in order to pay for engines the staff of BVIEC seem incapable of operating to any degree of reliability. We are forced to pay these incredibly high rates for polluting fossil fuels because our government ministers seem unable to THINK their way out of the vicious cycle in which we have become mired.

    It is outrageous, ecologically irresponsible and just plain stupid that in the new 21st century, it is ILLEGAL to use solar power or any other kind of renewable energy such as wind or geothermal energy in our homes.

    Where there is no vision, the people perish : but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

    I see a major flaw in that proverb in regards to the laws of the BVI when one considers our solar energy policy. I am not happy in the least!

    Will we EVER have a government with the guts to allow citizens of the BVI to install solar power if they so wish?
    • Crystal (04/09/2014, 15:48) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      Well said! The rationale for withholding the ability for businesses and individuals to implement reusable energy programmes is beyond me. Let's get on with legalizing reusable energy BVIEC/Government.
  • xxxxxxxx (04/09/2014, 12:06) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    NO SURPISES HERE NEXT!!!!
  • Concerned (04/09/2014, 12:07) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    The government are obviously concerned about the loss of revenue when private solar systems become the norm. I suspect that with this concern in mind and new legislation freeing private solar from the BVIEC monopoly will come with very expensive and prohibitive fees and costs to ensure that the Government maintain control of energy production.
    It will be interesting to see what the proposed feeder tariffs will be and what costs will be charged to connect to the grid.
    Again it seems that progress is being stifled by the Governments own agenda. They need to look at the bigger picture , for instance the savings in capacity could power the water desalination plant, rather than pay exorbitant rates to a private generator.
  • ABC (04/09/2014, 14:02) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Why do I get the feeling that inspite of what has been said we are still missing the boat. Yes LED lights and solo power may assist in reducing one's light bill but what is crystal clear is if we do not look carefully at the bigger picture, soon and very soon we will be forced to resort to candel power as a decision is yet to be taken concerning the replacement of the two vintage generator at Pock Wood Pond. They are both close to the end of their life span and replacing those units will take in excess of a year. In the interim, we are renting two expensive generators specifically to service Bi Water. This is an open ended affair which will result in the rental exceeding the cost of the two units. Someone needs to get hold of Dr. Smith and tell him to "mess" or get off the pot.
  • under the bus (05/09/2014, 00:07) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Let's hope the lesson spreads.


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