Gov’t looks to incentivise solar panel owners
Works Minister Kye Rymer said the government is looking at ways to incentivise persons that are interested in solar panels and solar water heaters.
He made the disclosure as officials discussed some of the issues that have been affecting the BVI Electricity Corporation (BVIEC) in recent weeks.
“I think we are right now working out the details as to how we would get that come on stream,” Rymer said at a press conference yesterday. “Through the Electricity Corporation, we would be subsidising and would eventually pay back for your solar system through your electricity bills.”
Rymer said an announcement on the initiative would be coming soon and explained that it would be instituted for both residential and commercial customers, but will focus on residential customers in the initial phase.
Meanwhile, General Manager of the BVIEC, Dr Neil Smith said the agency has some technical hurdles to overcome before the initiative can come on stream. However, he expressed that his team will do whatever is needed to make sure that the system is stable ahead of time.
“There are some inherent issues with marrying renewable energy to reciprocating engines on a grid, from a technical standpoint that we will address,” Smith said.
Smith said the government’s renewable energy component would hopefully supplement the reliability of the electricity grid and allow the BVIEC to produce electricity at a cheaper rate.
In late 2021, the government awarded three contracts with a combined value of $226,900 for works relating to harnessing solar-powered energy in the territory.
Amandla Engineering was awarded two contracts valued at $65,500 each to supply and install solar facilities. One was installed at Enis Adams Primary School, tied to the BVIEC power grid, and the other at Francis Lettsome Primary School, functioning as a separate 15 kWp system.
Your Eco Construction Limited, a UK firm, was awarded a third contract of $95,900 to design, build, and deliver two off-grid solar PV (photovoltaic) systems which are off-grid power boxes.
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Why are we awarding contracts to UK firms when we have professionals right here in BVI that can do this? I just had Will and Chris from Renewable Power Solutions BVI install a solar system at my home and I am delighted with it. No more power outages for me. Solar is the way to go.
Local Solar companies would like to do the solar systems here in BVI
all the money from Government is going overseas.
the Anagada system is a prime example.
Government does not need to buy solar systems let private owners do it and make it easier.
zero duty and take off the 2% warfage.
Why people should have to pay for installing their own panels? Why must Government seek to collect revenue from folks through any means necessary?
How about relaxing your over the top regulatory process
Until you remove the open ended annual fee for connecting into the grid no one’s going to touch it . The private owner bares all costs for building their own system the maintenance the risks of hurricane damage, and then government thinks it can rape them with a license fee for joining the grid. The home owner would rather charge an electric car and either dump excess power into cooling their cistern or run AC rather than be raped by the unjust license fee. Government doesn’t own the sun let solar produces ease the strain on the grid and recoup their investment.
When Actuon man was in he had all kind of ‘consultants’ suooosedly working on making things easier for homeowners. How long ago was that and where are we now? I call this another load of steaming hot pile of rhino dung!! There are already homes that can be off-grid at the flip of a switch. It is because of the large sums of profits made from scheming the system (fuel, lubricants, obsolete systems) is why BVIEC has been operating the way it has been with f’tards for board members.
Time to get serious and do some work for a damn change. You all have been in there before and ‘suddenly’ an epiphany hits yah like a brick in the face – viola! The inexperience is glaring and the opportunity costs have escalated. How can we budget for incompetence?
Until BVIEC drops their ridiculous fees on renewable energy, the BVI solar industry will never progress
Best if people install their ownsolar systems. Dont connect to the grid and keep the generally useless government out of it
What Rubber Duck says.
There are countries in the Caribbean that have been offering incentives since the 1980s for their people to install solar water heaters. Come 2023 we in the BVI are still looking for ways to “incentivise”. Why are we trying to reinvent the wheel? Let’s look around, see what other countries have done, and adapt for our context.
How much is the licence fee and how much does a homeowner get for providing energy back into the grid
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Indeed, a goof idea, but I believe there is legislation that obligates all homes and buildings to be connected to BVIEC. That said, the problem can be solved by just using one circuit that powers an LED bulb, and paying a minilmal monthly bill. Given that BVIEC is probably short of capital (govt alone owes them $10 million), it seems unlikely they’d want to rescind this rule.
Although I’m in favor of solar systems, and not having to rely on the grid, I’d also add that economics factor in to the decision regarding going solar. A 5-7kWh system (about enough to power a house without pool or a/c) will prob run $30 k or more, so not an indignificant investment. If the utility bill runs $ 250/month, it will be 10 years to recoup that investment, assuming there is no loan for the initial set up. Also worth considering is that solar panel performance degrades over time. This can be circumvented by higher quality panels and batteries, but this will require a larger initial investment. Given investment costs, some might just opt to have a standby generator instead.
Solar has been exempted to be duty free since 2019 where have you’ll been
Solar is the way to go ! But once again BVI government stabs the our own BVIslanders in the back ! The government continues to insist we must use BVi for this for work force employ BVIslanders ! They constantly say this .. and yet there they are using a UK company for solar ..WE HAVE OUR OWN LOCAL OWNED SOLAR COMPANY RIGHT HERE. Government take note stop your double standards.. just look at Golden Hind , solar on their roof. Done !!
100% agree with others – never mind incentives – just cut the ‘red tape’ and make it easier for home owners to do this themselves. Right now BVIEC just make it so difficult and burdensome. totally backwards thinking.
Shoulda been done 10 years ago. And think about the environmental impact by diminishing pollution…
Laws that made here are never meant to help the people, just generate more money for the politicians to rob without mask and gun. Stupid F in law.
What you should be doing is fixing the complex and stop paying these huge rents
On a recent trip through Europe, I noticed solar panels and arrays galore in small villages and farm buildings – lots of solar – combined with flocks of wind generation. These renewable sources were located in an area not exactly noted for being either very sunny or particularly breezy. And they were cracking out the kilowatts.
Meanwhile, back in the BVI: nada, nix, zip, zilch, zero! Until the installation on Anegada, neither our government nor the BVI Electric Co. had championed using our own natural resources in the slightest. And one gets the impression the advocacy locally is tepid at best.
High time the Gov’t and the BVIEC joined the 21st century.
The entire BVIEC’s green energy initiative is alot of talk to make them look good and the worst follow through in history.
Only country in the world where you have to install a meter on your solar system so they can charge you for the electricity you generate, from the system you paid for, on a system you maintain and insure, in your own house.
At least normally electricity companies only apply they’re fees where they have the legal authority to do so. On their side of the meter/disconnect.
Literally racketeering
Dana Miller is the poster child for why non-BVI contractors are getting so much business.
@ Sh!+#Ole country
All too true. Way too much of our government policy is crafted NOT around the benefit, welfare and happiness of the people that live in the Virgin Islands, but solely and only around feeding the voracious treasury.
Yes, using your own solar power to run your own appliances and not needing to purhase BVIEC power is a smart idea.
BUT – BVIEC has made that illegal.
No solar power is allowed to be used by the owner, it can ONLY be sold to BVIEC at a small fraction of what they charge you, plus you have to PAY for the meter to sell it to them.
Every other country allows you to install a load sharing device, which uses your own solar to power your home and brings in BVIEC power when needed.
It is perfectly safe when installed properly, it immediately reduces the load on BVIEC and it’s the most economical method.
Sound smart? Maybe that’s why BVIEC has banned it.
Sl**ande and the A** Clown Brigade trust them to figure it out. It may be three years from now but they eventually will