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