Energy minister says renewable projects await final regulatory framework

Barbados’ renewable energy agenda is progressing steadily, but the publication of key project documents is being postponed until supporting regulations under the newly enacted Electricity Supply Act are in place.

Minister of Energy and Business Development, Senator Lisa Cummins, provided this update during the Energy Development Scholarship Award presentation at the ministry’s Warrens office on Wednesday.

She assured awardees and guests that the government remains committed to transitioning away from fossil fuels and is finalising the necessary regulatory frameworks to ensure transparency and investor confidence.

“In the last six months or so, we’ve shared about the launch of the Battery Energy Storage Systems project. We will be coming to you imminently to launch Barbados’ first onshore wind project,” Cummins said.

The two initiatives, according to the minister, are critical steps in the island’s renewable energy transition. Battery energy storage systems are expected to stabilise the national grid by holding excess solar power generated during peak sunlight hours for use at night or during cloudy conditions. The Lamberts Wind Project would represent Barbados’ first venture into harnessing wind energy at scale, complementing the country’s solar programme.

Still, the minister acknowledged that while announcements have been made, official documentation has yet to be released.

“Having shared those upcoming projects, the publication of the actual documents has been delayed only because we want to make sure there is a strong, transparent regulatory regime in place,” she said.

She underscored that the government has already passed the Electricity Supply Act, a key piece of legislation governing electricity generation and distribution. However, she stressed that this Act must be fully operationalised through detailed regulations before developers are invited to submit bids.

“That piece of legislation—which, much like megawatts and all those other things, also reads to the average person like gibberish—needs to be operationalised,” Cummins explained. “We’re waiting for the legal drafters to complete crafting the policy and the existing legislation into regulations. As soon as that’s done, we’ll publish the regulations, and they will be appended to the requests for proposals for the battery storage projects as well as the upcoming Lamberts project.”

She clarified that this step is not a delay tactic but a crucial safeguard. Without the regulations in place, Cummins explained, neither investors nor the public could be certain of how the projects would be monitored, evaluated, and governed.

The energy minister noted that the drafting process is now in the hands of legal experts, and once completed, Barbados will be in a stronger position to attract investment in clean energy while maintaining transparency and accountability in procurement. (SB)