By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

Renewable energy projects are now being considered for environmental approvals, said Minister of Energy and Transport JoBeth Coleby-Davis on Friday.

She said the signing of power purchase agreements (PPAs) with vendors had been completed and work was now focused on securing clearance from the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection (DEPP) before construction could begin.

“In New Providence, one of the areas has already been declared and they are working closely to get their clearance from DEPP,” she told reporters.

“Family Island vendors have been working on getting all of their environmental reports completed for them to finalise. It is just the environmental portion of it now before they can really see much of the work started, but a lot of them have already started ordering their equipment and getting ahead of the busy season of shipping.”

Mrs Coleby-Davis said the Ministry was looking at ways to expand training both within Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) and the Ministry of Energy to build technical capacity in renewable energy. She said this would support the country’s goal of reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

The government previously announced the signing of multiple power purchase agreements for solar microgrids and hybrid systems on islands including Abaco, Eleuthera, Exuma, Harbour Island, Bimini, Staniel Cay, Black Point, Farmer’s Cay, Moore’s Island, San Salvador, Long Island and Cat Island.

Officials have set a national target for 32 percent of electricity generation to come from solar power by 2030, with several projects expected to be operational by next year.

When asked about microgrid initiatives in the southern islands, Mrs Coleby-Davis said projects in the MICAL constituency were being handled by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and remained in the evaluation phase.

“They are concluding their evaluation process and we should hear some more on who would be selected to continue working on the renewable side of those projects,” she said.