Bahamas: Government Signs Deal For Plan To Aid In Renewable Energy Integration

• The government recently signed an agreement with the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE) for the development of an Integrated Resource and Resilience Plan (IRRP) to aid in the efficient integration of renewables across the country, in line with its National Energy Policy targets.  CCREEE, which was established in 2018, helps member states navigate their energy transition.
• Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) Chief Executive Shevonn Cambridge at the signing said: “This is about an Integrated Resource and Resilience Plan. That plan looks at the assets the utility has and the goals we have in terms of migrating to more efficient production, particularly the integration of renewables. It looks at how we retire existing assets or how we look at any additional capacity we need and the integration of renewables.”. He also noted that the plan and other renewable energy initiatives are being funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
• Dr Gary Jackson, executive director of CCREEE said: “With this plan, we want to look at the mitigation and adoption strategies The Bahamas may need to have given the high heat and hurricanes The Bahamas is experiencing.”
• The Bahamas National Energy Policy 2013 – 2033 was developed to ensure that The Bahamas has a modern, diversified and efficient energy sector that is affordable, reliable and resilient. To assist the Government in achieving its goals, the IRRP plan guides how a country can supply its need for electricity into the foreseeable future.
• CCREEE will gather data to develop and codify the IRRP planning and processes, identify key responsibilities, set timelines for activities and recommend criteria and standards for the development of policy and processes. In effect, it will develop the IRRP within the Bahamas National Energy Policy 2013-2033 framework.
• The agreement between the Bahamas government and CCREEE for the development of an IRRP is a crucial step towards achieving the goals outlined in the Bahamas National Energy Policy 2013-2033. This plan, funded by the IDB, will guide the country in efficiently integrating renewable energy, retiring existing assets, and planning for additional capacity needs. Ultimately, this initiative will contribute to a more affordable, reliable, and resilient energy sector in the Bahamas, better equipped to navigate the challenges posed by high heat and hurricanes.

(Source: CariCris)