#BTEditorial – Where exactly are we on the energy plan?

Barbados’ transition to 100 per cent clean energy by 2030 appears to be facing an uphill battle despite the strides that have been achieved in sensitising Barbadians about the necessity to be weaned off fossil fuel consumption.

The Barbados National Energy Policy, which was conceptualised some years ago and published in 2017, was built on the efforts of previous projects and had also set an aggressive renewable energy target. That policy was reviewed and given new life in 2019.

The policy essentially seeks to have the island make a seismic economic shift away from fossil fuel use and anchors it on clean, renewable energy. The stated aims include the fostering of “local entrepreneurship, education and capacity building”. Among the key objectives of our energy policy is to develop standards of qualification for jobs in the renewables sector, increase collaboration between educational institutions and the energy sector toward establishing degree and vocational programmes, develop renewable energy syllabuses in tertiary institutions, and internship and scholarship opportunities.

All this is great news but the objective with which most Barbadians are concerned is that of being fully powered by renewable energy by 2030. This is just seven years away.

Reports suggesting that Barbados is only 11 per cent along the way to achieving the target is disappointing given the head start the island has had on its neighbours.

According to the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Dominica has made the greatest progress, reaching 25 per cent. In fact, a report by the Atlantic Council, an American think tank has shot down the 2030 full renewable energy targets of not only Barbados but also Dominica, St Kitts & Nevis, Grenada, Montserrat and Antigua.

The Council described the power generation targets as “not reliable or realistic” arguing that “right now, a transition to strictly renewables, even if it were financially possible, would only exacerbate the vulnerabilities facing Caribbean governments and consumers”.

Despite the efforts of the government to persuade Barbadians to go fully electric in new vehicle purchases, it seems there remains some hesitancy on the part of consumers who are hedging their bets by going the route of hybrids.

Granted, supply chain issues and the high costs of fully electric cars have also served as a serious damper on sales.

Thus, it is interesting to note that the Atlantic Council has also suggested a hybrid approach.

“Energy systems, therefore, require a hybrid model: the ability to take on clean energy while also incorporating low-carbon fossil fuels, such as natural gas, to substitute for bunker fuel and diesel as the building blocks for the region’s energy transition,” it has argued.

All this comes at a time when solar voltaic installations are grinding to a halt. Consumers, faced with rising electricity bills and the possibility of expanding war in the Middle East causing oil prices to rise even further, may have their hopes dashed.

The Barbados Light and Power Company (BLPC)has contended that with nearly 40 per cent of its energy coming from alternative energy sources, its power generation stability has become compromised as it is near its maximum capacity. It requires new systems hooked to the grid to include battery backup which is as costly as the initial investment in solar voltaic systems.

A $15 000 investment could easily become a $25 000 or $30 000 expense if battery systems are added.

This is the conundrum faced not only by consumers but also the BLPC which is suggesting that it will be required to invest $600 million in battery systems as well over the next seven years and somebody has to foot the bill for that kind of capital investment.

It is reasonable, therefore, for the government to urgently deliver a comprehensive policy statement to the people of Barbados on the entire energy plan and the way forward.