The new process gives priority to solar generation licensees whose systems are currently limited or have already been installed but remain disconnected , provided that such licensees seek to add battery energy storage.
Currently, 16 photovoltaic solar systems, representing a capacity of 3.9 MW, are operating at 50 percent of their nominal capacity, while another 241 systems, with a combined capacity of 29.2 MW, have been built but are not connected to the electricity grid.
In his address to the nation, the Minister of Energy, Business Development and Consumer Affairs, and principal minister responsible for the productive sector, Kerrie Symmonds , acknowledged the financial impact on individuals and businesses that had invested in renewable energy projects but were unable to reap the full benefit of those investments .
“I want these licensees to know, in the clearest terms possible, that they have not been forgotten and that there is now a structured, prioritized process with defined deadlines for their investments to be fully operational,” the Minister said.
Under the new priority system , preference will be given to authorized and installed generation systems that are currently being constrained and that propose adding storage. Next, consideration will be given to authorized and installed systems in areas with high renewable energy penetration that are not yet connected and that propose adding storage, and finally, to other authorized and installed systems awaiting connection.
According to the minister, this approach aims to protect existing investments before adding capacity to the public electricity grid. "This is a deliberate policy decision by this government to protect and enhance existing investments before adding more capacity to the grid," he emphasized.
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Applications will be processed through the Ministry's online portal and will undergo administrative, technical, electricity grid and , where necessary , financial review before being considered by the Electricity Advisory Committee and before the Ministry makes a decision.
The selected applicants will maintain their priority position both in the licensing phase and in the connection to the electricity grid.
The Ministry has also set milestones covering an eight-month period between licensing and interconnection , including the signing of a Power Purchase Agreement, the acquisition and delivery of the battery system, installation and commissioning.
Licensees will be required to submit status reports so that the Ministry can identify projects that may be behind schedule and provide them with appropriate support.
“This is not a vague promise of goodwill. It is a published, auditable, and milestone-based process with identified institutional stakeholders, a fixed timeframe, and a clear entry point for all existing solar energy licensees who are currently restricted or not connected,” the Minister stated.
He noted that the accelerated procedure not only aims to recover the value of existing solar investments, but also to strengthen the stability of the national electricity grid and create the conditions for further development of renewable energy.
The Minister also reaffirmed the Government's commitment to ensuring that the country's transition to renewable energy is safe, orderly, and fair. "This Government remains firmly committed to Barbados ' transition to a renewable energy future, within the framework of Barbados' National Energy Policy. However, this transition must be safe, orderly, and fair, ensuring that no investor is permanently left behind and no taxpayer bears an unfair burden."