By Doug Cotton
As the national energy policy committee considers ways to move the Bahamas towards a cleaner energy future, recent steps by the state of Hawaii may offer some inspiration.
Hawaii’s economy also depends on imported oil, although - like The Bahamas - it is blessed with abundant sources of sun, wind, and ocean energy.
Earlier this year the state unveiled a Clean Energy Initiative, providing a road map towards a future where 70 per cent of electricity and ground transportation needs will come from renewable sources by the year 2030. Currently, the state gets only 10 per cent of its energy from renewable sources.
In June, the state amended its building code to require solar hot water heaters in all new homes beginning in 2010. In October, the government and major electric utilities agreed to implement energy reduction measures and increase the amount of renewable power generation to meet the 70 per cent goal.
These measures include the following:
•A government mandate for utilities to produce 25% renewable power by 2020 and 40% by 2030
•Removal of restrictions on net energy metering to allow utilities to pay a credit at full retail value for excess electricity exported to the grid
•Agreed to adopt technology-specific Feed-in-Tariffs by next July to replace the net metering payment system
•Utilities will install advanced electric meters and set time-of-use rates that reward customers with lower costs for using power during off-peak times
•A plan to install 2,500 solar hot water heaters per year using a “pay as you save” approach to reimburse utilities for the costs of installing the unit must be agreed by the end of this year
•Adoption of a new regulatory structure next year that decouples utility revenues and profits from the amount of electricity sold in order to achieve conservation goals
•A plan for utilities to install photovoltaic systems at commercial, institutional, and residential sites must be in place by next March
•No new coal-fired power plants will be approved
•Rates will be capped for those on low or fixed incomes who are unable to pay the full cost of electricity
•An incentive programme to encourage the adoption and use of electric vehicles will be developed by the government and utility companies
In addition to these statewide measures, the three major utilities have agreed to take actions to immediately increase the amount of renewable energy they provide. Renewable energy projects already in existence or under development include waste-to-energy, wind, biofuel, solar concentrating, geothermal, wave and ocean thermal conversion.
Hawaii is moving full speed ahead with conservation and demand management measures to reduce its energy use. It is also developing new projects to achieve the mandated goal of 70 per cent renewable power by 2030. This is a real life example for The Bahamas to emulate.
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