Earl Deveaux, the Minister of the Environment, said Bahamians "need to take matters into their own hands" when it comes to alternative power solutions to reduce costs and ensure a more stable supply. There has been "a great deal of talk" on the need for other forms of energy, he added, but very (little) initiative from the general population.
"That intent, from my perspective has not been manifested in concrete action," Deveaux said. "Given the outages over the past few weeks, and expensive energy options, individuals and business people could be making changes. One would have expected a more aggressive uptake."
An "enlightened" decision process will go a long way to solving problems, he said.
Last week, the Bahamas Electricity Corporation announced they are close to a deal with an alternative energy company. Michael Moss, the chairman, said waste energy is not an option right now, leaving solar, tidal and wind power as possible sources. He would not reveal the company at this time. An announcement is expected in the next few weeks.
However, even after the deal is signed, Moss admitted that alternative energy would only account for 10 percent of the country's energy needs in the foreseeable future.
With this in mind, Deveaux said residents need to take steps to harness their own alterative energy, which is often more efficient and less expensive over the long term.
He pointed out that the government has introduced low tariffs on energy-efficient light blubs, solar water heaters and green building materials.
"The individual home owner makes a decision," he said. "When you build a house or make repairs, changes could be made. "When a roof needs replacing, the kind of material you use could reduce the heat factor in your home, meaning you would use less AC. People need to make conscious, household decisions."
For example, local company known as Solar Power Shower (www.solarpowershowerbahamas.com) can install solar tanks on roofs for as little as just over $1,000. Reducing 30 percent off your BEC bill, the system pays for itself quickly, not to mention the fact you can get off the grid and avoid the aggravation for persistent blackouts.
The company offers a variety of other alterative energy, efficient merchandise for the home, including solar attic fans, reverse osmosis systems and trickle charge solar PV panels. The Bahamas benefits from a great deal of sun, making these choices practical and useful. "We wish to accommodate these decisions to reduce energy load," Deveaux said.
"And a significant part of the reduction in energy load will come at the household level. The same thing applies to businesses. Short of mandating that it happens, there is little else we can do"
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