Minister Richards wants Bermuda to use natural gas

Environment Minister Sylvan Richards has thrown his weight behind the use of natural gas as an alternative energy source in Bermuda.

The Minister told the Bermuda Sun that the island needed to catch up with the rest of the world and place less reliance on fossil fuels.

He said he would support initiatives that aimed to make the most of this ‘cheap and plentiful’ natural resource.

Mr Richards added: “I am open to anything that has potential to reduce our energy costs.

“We are still too reliant on fossil fuels when we should be progressing towards natural gas.

“We must generate plans to use natural gas which is plentiful and cheap.

“We are behind the curve when it comes to this area.

“I am encouraged that BELCO is looking to use natural gas.

“It will require special tanks and filling stations to get it off the ship but this is something we have to explore.

“And it’s an idea I would support and like.”

BELCO says it is currently working on a 10-year plan to find the “right energy mix” to provide stable, reliable electricity at competitive prices.

And a spokesperson told the Sun that the plan could include using liquefied natural gas as an alternative fuel.

The spokesperson added: “BELCO is working to meet the Island’s future electricity need as it develops a new Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) for the next decade.

“The resulting IRP will utilize a new energy equation that could include liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a potential alternative fuel and must include conservation, renewables and replacement of aging plant to meet Bermuda’s base-line energy requirement.

“Developing the IRP involves taking into account the optimization of existing and planned generation resources, the higher cost of oil, the potential of cleaner, less carbon-intensive fuels like LNG, as well as making use of natural resources.

“The IRP will find the right energy mix to provide stable, reliable electricity at competitive prices.”

The question of alternative energy sources is a hot topic at the moment.

And the growing call for action comes after Finance Minister Bob Richards told the Royal Gazette that BELCO should lower its prices claiming it was using its monopoly power to grow it’s business and pay shareholder dividends.

Many alternative energy providers say that Bermuda could be doing more to promote renewable energy 

Tim Madeiros, CEO of Alternative Energy Systems (Bermuda) told the Sun this week:  “Despite the incremental progress made by the renewable energy industry in Bermuda since 2008 it is clear that without formal policies and/or legislated residential and commercial interconnection standards and feed-in tariff rates, future growth of the industry in Bermuda is likely to be negligible.

“Bloomberg New Energy Finance stated that in 2012 there was a 120 per cent increase in renewable energy investment in Latin America, adding up to $10 billion.

“This has not been reflected in Bermuda’s growth, so there is huge potential for development in renewable energy in Bermuda now and in the future.

“I look forward to working with all the players to make it happen.”