By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

HUNDREDS of high school students from across The Bahamas gathered at the British Colonial on Friday for the Future Energy Leaders Forum, a day of discovery, dialogue, and innovation aimed at inspiring the next generation to help build a sustainable national future.

The forum, hosted by INTI Corporation Ltd in partnership with local, regional, and international organisations, brought together government officials, industry leaders, and students to explore solutions to global challenges such as climate change, energy security, and environmental resilience.

INTI president and CEO, Owen Bethel, said the event was designed to spark a deeper curiosity among students about renewable energy and environmental action.

Energy and Transport Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis said events like the forum serve as incubators for transformation, creating spaces where young Bahamians can influence decisions that shape the nation’s energy future.

She highlighted progress on several renewable energy projects across the country, saying the government’s energy transition plan is gaining momentum. “Our Family Islands will benefit from improved generation with cleaner fuel, namely LNG, liquid natural gas and solar with battery storage, many to be completed by 2026 or early 2027,” she said. “These agreements will transform energy reliability while incorporating renewable components. Closer to home in New Providence, we are making the biggest leap forward.”

Mrs Coleby-Davis said work had already begun on the utility-scale solar project at Blue Hills Power Station, led by INTI, with land clearing and construction under way. “Before the end of this month, dredging will begin for our LNG project,” she said.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis told students that the government’s energy strategy is built on sustainability, reliability, and local empowerment. He said the plan includes constructing solar microgrids across the Family Islands to deliver clean, resilient energy, expanding large-scale solar installations in New Providence to reduce costs, and opening the energy sector to private investment through a transparent, Bahamian-led framework.

He said workforce development will be critical to the transition, with the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute launching a national programme to train Bahamians in renewable energy technology and installation.

“What’s important is for you young people to truly get involved in this fight, because it’s truly a fight,” Mr Davis said. “When I look across this room, I see faces that remind me how far our country has come, how far we still have to go. I believe this generation of Bahamians is ready for what is next for our country.

“You are ready to take on the challenges that once intimidated us. You’re ready to think differently about how we grow, how we protect, and how we build. That belief comes from what I have seen in classrooms, in communities, and in the quiet determination of young people across our islands — finding their own way, sometimes without fanfare, sometimes without recognition, but always with a purpose.”

The forum concluded with a call to action for students to become advocates for sustainability and innovation, reinforcing the message that their generation will be central to shaping The Bahamas’ clean energy future.