50% cost cut! Residents urged to join solar energy program
Minister of Communications and Works Kye Rymer is encouraging residents to sign up for the Solar Technology Energy Programme (STEP), which promises to reduce electricity bills in half.
Speaking at a contract signing ceremony at Pockwood Pond on Thursday, February 6 for 21 new solar customers, Rymer announced that the government will cover 50 percent of the upfront cost of solar installations. He urged more residents to take advantage of the program’s benefits.
“This will slash your electricity bill by up to 50 percent permanently,” Rymer stated, adding, “So we’ll say goodbye to fuel price anxiety.”
The minister also noted that STEP is expected to save the government up to 50 million dollars, funds that can be redirected to other critical areas in the territory.
Increasing reliance on renewable energy
Meanwhile, Premier Dr. Natalio Wheatley reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to increasing the territory’s reliance on renewable energy, with a target for thirty percent of the BVI’s energy to be solar-powered by 2030.
Introduced by the Ministry in April 2024, STEP aims to combat high energy costs, which have been driven by external factors such as rising fuel prices and global shipping disruptions. Minister Rymer previously highlighted how events like wars have further exacerbated these costs.
The BVI Electricity Corporation (BVIEC) has taken significant steps to lower the per-unit cost of electricity, and STEP plays a key role in this effort. The program enables residential customers to generate their own electricity using solar power through grid-tie systems, which not only reduce reliance on imported fuel but may also provide financial credits to participants.
BVIEC will cover all upfront costs for equipment and installation, eliminating financial barriers for residents. Savings generated from lower energy costs will first go toward recouping setup expenses. Once these costs are recovered, customers will see direct reductions in their electricity bills or receive financial credits.
Interested residents can register for STEP via the BVIEC website, where the initial group of customers has already signed up.
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How about first finishing the solar project in Anagada. What a waste. Can we also get some transparycy and see what the Anagada project is costing the tax payer
And by the way cut the red tape and import duty on solar for people who want to do the right thing
HERE AGAIN TRYING TO CONTROL EVERYTHING IF I WANT USE SOLAR ENERGY WHAT THAT HAVE TO DO WITH YOU BUT HALF THE BILL HOW ABOUT CUT THE BILL OUT ALTOGETHER NONSENSE. EVERYTHING IS SIGN UP FOR THIS AND THAT WHEN WE COULD INDEPENDENTLY LIVE WITH OUT PAYING
What are your plans for when there is a period when it is cloudy and overcast and the solar system is not producing power? How about when your solar stops working?
It takes a certain amount of money to maintain the island’s electricity infrastructure on an annual basis. As such, if less and less people pay for power, the island will not be able to continue to provide electricity to the masses. This is the reason that the Government “controls” this. Is not all about the individual!
They already control it by applying a $0.10 per kWh for all produced solar power to those who have it.
Well who is going to pay to maintain the grid infrastructure that the solar people will rely on at night or when it is cloudy in the day? 10 cents isn’t that bad, in my view. They are still saving quite a bit compared to a regular bill.
Gullible as ever clearly you don’t do no research on how electricity works and for the clouds get a grip were sunny all year round you people love to be sheep
Don’t you know that most solar programs in the US receive government subsidies.That is what the government has to do with it. This is why we can’t nove ahead, always angry and spouting what we don’t know.
so they dont mention the cost, if its the local comapnies that are installing and charging you in the end, then they are ripping people off by more than 300% mark up on the items.
My house is solar but still linked to the grid but not grid tied so we have best of both worlds bill went from $900+ a month to under $100 and thats mostly their charges not current.
System in total cost $16,000 so in under 2 years the system pid for itself unlike the STEP system being offered by BVIEC you will just keep paying bills for free sunshine
How can you be linked to the grid and not grid-tied? Are you sure? So you’re feeding power back to the grid and BVIEC does not know? That’s dangerous for the linesmen! Tell me you did the right thing and went through the RE application process with BVIEC and had your system inspected and certified.
the system is advanced and does not allow power to go back to the grid from the inverter. We are still grid tied through our breaker box but once we flip a breaker we are on solar power, there is no feedback to the grid, ever. Simple
Hold on is right. You do not have to be grid tied to use the grid, with modern inverters you can connect (a) solar (b) your batteries (c) the grid/generator.
Without any feedback.we are now using intelligent equipment.
So the solar system does work. Thanks! Let me sign up buddy. And with Govt (with my tax money) covering 50% of the cost off the top, you can’t beat that.
I need your contacts please. You explained in one paragraph what I needed to buy in. 442 5205 let’s talk please.
I already signed up but no one contacted me.
Questions to be answered. I am not in opposition of this feat but here are some real questions to be answered by BVIEC.
1. BVIEC intends to train individuals to become solar installers? what happen to the twenty something persons in the BVI who are NABCEP certified? Were these individuals selected or is this a new set of persons identified?
2. $1,000,000 invested by Government? this smells fishy
3. Has any de-risking been done on this program?
4. Who ultimately bears the liability of these systems BVIEC or the customer?
5. Will these systems be insured?
6. Who is responsible if a customer’s roof is damaged during the installation of these systems?
7. Are these 50/60 % savings real? What empirical analysis was done to determine that?
8. Someone with a $300 light bill will save $150 if a system cost 20K can BVIEC wait 12 yrs to get their capital return?
Finally, what if customers decide that they are not getting what was promised and stop paying?
Residents?
wouldnt it be home owners have sign up?
i dont think i can sign up have people install stuff on my landlord place just so?
i’m confused but yea i good after reading this comments
when it comes to the bvi and their companies everything 300% profit never 100% always have to triple the price on you and laugh to the bank
Charged import duty on equipment
Huge charge for joining grid which doesn’t allow break even point to be easily achieved ( this charge will obviously increase in the future)
Very low return kWh rate government BVI electricity board is allegedly going to pay you for back feeding into grid system. I can only imagine you’ll get a credit but never see any cash.
Home owner takes all the risks of destroyed equipment during hurricane season.
It’s called the New World Order energy control system. Solar doesn’t mean good electricity. Solar has a plug in and the ones that don’t takes forever to charge
These people is who you all trust with your life. Agenda 2030 substanable control digtial Mark of the beast system. I told you all these puppets are reading the script and you all are going to the road to hell. All these lesbians and gays all over the world. Boys want to be girls and girls want to be boys. Sick devil world
Do not fall for this nonsense, we have a house In San Diego, CA that the State of CA insisted we add solar on, savings LOL – 5 years on and we pay 50% more for electricity every month even though the sun shines 95% of the time, the energy company made it impossible for us to say take your panels back, local government will not allow it ! If you want your local representatives to get kick backs form the energy companies installing these systems then this plan works, but not for us, the consumer – there are no savings, its another scam.
KYE,KIE , IS SAYING )> YEAH , THIS YO BOI HOLLERING OUT AT YA’AL , GOT TO TRUST ME ON THIS ONE , WE GINE SHARE SOME DE POWER WID YA’AL , WE REALLY MEAN IT TIME ,WE AIN’T FORGET YA’AL ALLOWANCES , BUT WE HAD TO TAKE CARE OF WE SELF FUS , AND NO MONEY WAS LEF FAH AR-YO , BUT AR-YO GINE GEH IT SOON , AS LONG AS AR-YO STILL ALIVE
The government does not need to be involved. Solar power is now cheap and easy. Do it yourself. I have several friends who have and for them it works well. Low to no bills.