APIA, Samoa --- The Bahamas scored a major victory on its journey towards the implementation of renewable energy standards and policies when the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) agreed to assist the country in developing its National Standards for renewable energy.

“The International Renewable Energy Agency is a very important component for The Bahamas’ Road Map for the deployment of renewable energy technologies,” Minister for the Environment and Housing, the Hon. Kenred Dorsette said.

“One of the reasons we joined IRENA – and I am pleased that they acceded to our application in such a short time – is because of their advancement of international standards associated with renewable energy technologies.” He explained that while the technologies have improved and the prices have gone down, there is still a lot of inferior product being offered in the international community; so he met with the newly-installed Director General to ensure support for The Bahamas’ request for provision of technical cooperation on renewable energy technologies standardization. “They assured us that they are prepared to work closely with The Bahamas to assist us in developing our national standards,” Minister Dorsette added.

Mr. Dorsette said the body is also advancing a new Lighthouse Initiative in which they will work with countries to assist them in developing Road Maps for transition into the deployment of renewable energy technologies. IRENA also has expertise in a number of key areas at their disposal.

This includes readiness awareness assessments and smart grid technologies. IRENA also has experts capable of making assessments of current grid technologies and infrastructure to understand how The Bahamas would be able to scale up its integration of renewable energy technologies.

“We also have had discussions to ensure that as we move into the Net Metering Grid Tied Connection Framework, that IRENA assists us in developing that programme not only for residential scale, but to further ensure that as we move into utility scale deployment of renewables, it is done in a way where firstly, we protect the integrity of the technology and secondly, we do it the right way.”

The meeting with IRENA was one of several side meetings/bilateral meetings that were arranged by the delegation for the Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Works and Urban Development the Hon. Philip Davis, and Minister Dorsette.

“This event has been very important for The Bahamas in many ways, but certainly, the mere fact that you have the Deputy Prime Minister of The Bahamas attending this International SIDS Conference speaks volumes to the developed world as to the country’s commitment to addressing the adverse effects of Climate Change and of advancing the country’s renewable energy deployment.

“The Deputy Prime Minister also happens to be the Minister responsible for BEC and so I was happy to see the reception he received particularly when we were talking about renewables. The mere fact that you have the two ministers responsible for energy reform process – in that you have the Minister responsible for BEC and the Minister responsible for renewable energy in the same room, we are able to at least provide a holistic view of exactly where the country is going and that message was well-received.”

Minister Dorsette said the delegation will continue to have a busy week.“A busy week because there are so many issues that we have to address during the SIDS Conference and renewable energy is just one part of the equation. We are addressing issues of ocean acidification; of sea level rise; addressing issues relating to bio-diversity; to illegal dumping in our oceans; illegal poaching and the protection of fisheries resources.

“I think [our] having the Deputy Prime Minister here was huge because, in terms of the margins of the Conference, he was also able to have some high-level discussions with CARICOM Leaders; with AOSIS (Alliance of Small Island States); he was able to have bi-lateral meetings with leaders from AOSIS countries as well as AOSIS proper, and I hope that from what comes out of this meeting, the people of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas realize that we are a part of a global society and that The Bahamas must remain engaged in dialogue at all material times in terms of what we are advancing and what’s happening elsewhere.

“The Bahamas is a respected voice, particularly in the Caribbean region, and it is important for us to always ensure that our voices are heard at such events, especially when we also consider that because of our per capita income, oftentimes The Bahamas is overlooked or ineligible for assistance and/or grant funding from the developed world.

“It is only until you make the case as to the distortion of our per capita income, or the fact that there are remote islands in The Bahamas that, notwithstanding the per capita income of The Bahamas, they are suffering from high levels of poverty unemployment, etcetera, which requires intervention and so those sort of discussions, when they are face-to-face, I think you get a better result and I think that the DPM in his intervention on the first day of the SIDS Conference, put that particular matter in context and perspective for the entire conference and I think it has opened up the window for us exploring more opportunities for grant funding, technical cooperation and financial assistance from countries who may have otherwise overlooked The Bahamas.”