GOVERNMENT IS “going nowhere” with Barbados’ shift to renewable energy and its overall energy plan has failed.
That is the view of Opposition Senator Ryan Walters, who is urging the authorities to pull back, reassess, readjust and be realistic in their goals.
He was speaking in the Senate yesterday during debate on theBarbados National Energy Company Limited (Transfer and Vesting of Assets) Bill, 2025, which was passed and enables the National Petroleum Corporation to become part of the new Barbados National Energy Company.
The Democratic Labour Party (DLP) spokesman said Government not reaching its “aggressive” energy targets, and $500 million in stalled renewable energy investments, higher fuel imports and Barbadians having to pay more for electricity were all evidence of the current administration’s failed energy reform.
He recalled that the last DLP Government’s Barbados National Energy Policy 2017 to 2037 sought to reposition the energy sector, and targeted a 75 per cent reduction in heavy fossil fuel use by 2037.
In his view, the intended plan was a well-informed one taking a gradual process, with a 20-year timeline and achievable milestones. It was customer focussed too, said Walters.
He compared this with the current administration’s Barbados National Energy Policy 2019 to 2030, which he asserted was in some ways “a lot of copy and paste from the previous plan that was established in 2017”.
“What the Government did, though, is that they changed the targets, so they moved from a 20-year plan to down to 11 years, which is extremely aggressive,” he said.
Walters also observed that the 75 per cent reduction in fossil fuels over 20 years target was replaced by one where Government aimed to move to 100 per cent renewable renewables in only 11 years.
He claimed that Government changed the focus from being customer-focused to one that was investor-focused.
“So, from a well-informed gradual plan, calculated and managed process, over the last six years we have seen a shift to incorrect focus, in my opinion, some misguided priorities, lofty, unattainable goals . . . [and] financial blundering, . . . which all culminates to mass confusion. A plan that I think we can all say has failed thus far,” he argued.
Walters said with $500 million in renewable energy investments locked out of the electricity grid, it was clear that “Government over-promised and under-delivered”.
He also said Government’s energy plans had failed “because imports of fossil fuel today are still high”.
“It is reported that the Government imported 760 862 barrels of gasoline in 2018. In 2024, the Government imported 775 310 barrels of gasoline. It’s actually more than it was in 2018, which is just saying that we are going nowhere with the transition.
“In addition, we spent $712 million to import fuel in the country in 2018 and we are up to $1 billion in 2024, all signs that . . . this Government is going nowhere but very fast.”
Walters also said that with information showing Barbados Light & Power Company “is paying more for renewable energy than it is paying for fossil fuel, as much as 34 per cent higher in some months”, this was “affecting . . . regular homeowners and obviously those who are doing business”. (SC)