Minister of Energy and Water Resources, Wilfred Abrahams said Barbados is moving full steam ahead to achieve its 2030 energy goal of becoming 100 percent carbon neutral. He was speaking at Barbados’ Sustainable Energy Conference at the Hilton Barbados Resort today. (GP)

Minister of Energy and Water Resources, Wilfred Abrahams, has described the transition Barbados will take to achieve its 2030 goal of becoming 100 percent carbon neutral as “literally and metaphorically an energy revolution”.

He made this comment today during his remarks at the Barbados Sustainable Energy Conference, themed Roadmap to 2030, at the Hilton Barbados Resort.

Mr. Abrahams stated that moving towards 100 per cent renewable energy was a matter of survival for the island.

He noted that even though small island developing states such as Barbados pollute the least in terms of greenhouse emissions, they have to be at the forefront of reducing or reversing the impact of climate change, which threatens their very existence.

He noted that in setting about the 2030 energy road map goals, Barbados will also be by way of extension seeking to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of clean water and sanitation and affordable and clean energy.

The Energy and Water Resources Minister stated that the Cabinet-approved 2019-2030 Barbados National Energy Bill, passed in November 2018, has as it policy, an energy mix from renewable sources where 100 per cent of all electricity produced on the island is to be generated from renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, bio-mass, and waste-to-energy through a sustainable waste-management programme.

The legislation also called for the full commitment and continued input of energy stakeholders to help execute the necessary targets, goals, initiatives, policies, fiscal incentives and legislative reforms necessary for Barbados to achieve its 2030 goal.

“The road map to 2030 will involve weaning ourselves away from utilizing fossil fuel to power our economies. We believe that our move towards implementing renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives will not only reduce our carbon footprint, but its greatest impact will be as the catalyst for achieving energy security and the concomitant implications for spurring economic growth in the Barbados economy,” Mr. Abrahams added.

He expressed the hope that the presentations, deliberations and discussions held at the conference would be fruitful, and the exchanging of ideas would “further promote and propel the implementation and investment in renewables to move us closer to a sustainable energy Barbados”. 

sheena.forde@barbados.gov.bb

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