Call for greater solar use

Wed, August 01, 2012 - 12:06 AM

Barbados and most Caribbean islands have almost twice as many sunlight hours as Canada and other European regions, yet solar energy is not being exploited to its fullest capacity.

This is the view of Andrew Hall-Holland one of the associates of The Solar Store, a Barbadian-owned company that is looking to deploy a solar energy project locally.

Hall-Holland who spoke to THE NATION recently, said: “You are importing fuel oil to burn generators which is terrible for the environment, terrible for your economic situation. I am surprised that solar energy in Barbados has not exploded since there is so much sunlight.

“Here you have an average of 3 000 hours of sunshine annually, that is incredibly high. We do solar in Ontario and we use it and we only have 1 500 hours and if it makes sense there, it makes more sense here”.

Additionally, Hall-Holland and his associates Robert Secco and Russell Lloyd said that harnessing the sun’s energy is being made even easier since the Barbados Light and Power Company (BL&P) has invited people to get on the grid for solar electricity. (LK)

Please read the full story in today’s MIDWEEK NATION, or in the eNATION edition.