The Grand Bahama Power Company (GBPC) hopes to help residents of the Bahamas take advantage of solar energy once generation technology is introduced to the energy mix in 2016. The Renewable Energy Rider rate (RER) will allow GBPC customers the opportunity to sell energy back to the grid, from residential solar PV, wind turbines and other forms of renewable energy generation.
The introduction of solar technology is expected to replace GBPC’s conventional generation located at Water Cay in 2016, based on a rate submission filed will the Grand Bahama Port Authority in August. The RER pilot program will initially limit the number of systems connected to the grid, an implementation that is intended to allow GBPC the opportunity to assess the impact while ensuring the stability of the grid is not negatively affected. GBPC recognizes that the use of solar provides benefit to our customers, partly by enabling the deferral of future capital investment in fossil fuel generation assets.
“We have been focused on stabilizing rates for our customers and improving reliability over the last few years; … We expect to replace 100% of our fossil fuel generation at Water Cay with solar in 2016. It’s an important step towards reducing our reliance on foreign oil,” stated Paul Miller, Managing Director at GBPC.
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