Barbados’ renewable energy push continues to be hindered by the inequity in the global supply of critical infrastructure.
This concern was again raised by Senior Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Kerrie Symmonds, who said preference was being given to larger northern countries for the supply of battery storage. He lamented that the development places the stability of the country’s electricity grid at risk.
He was delivering the keynote remarks at the launch of the International Renewable Energy Agency-Caribbean Cooperation For Fostering Energy Transition Investments and Finance Conference at Hilton Barbados, yesterday.
“Today, just over 85 megawatts of renewable energy are installed on our grid and that constitutes, as I understand it, somewhere in the vicinity of 12 to 15 per cent of this country’s electricity demand. But beyond that, we have to recognise that the next logical step, having made that type of commitment and begun to make that type of progress, is the need to ensure the stability of the grid, and naturally via the usage of battery storage as a first option,” he said. (CLM)
