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Last Updated: Jun 13, 2019 - 3:41:53 PM |
Minister of the Environment and Housing the Hon. Romauld Ferreira makes his Contribution to the 2019/2020 Budget Debate, in the House of Assembly, on June 11, 2019. (BIS Photo / Eric Rose)
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Nassau, The Bahamas – During his Contribution on the 2019/2020 Budget Debate, on June 11, 2019, Minister of the Environment and Housing the Hon. Romauld Ferreira announced a number of new and ongoing initiatives that his Ministry is working on for the benefit of all in The Bahamas.
“Recognizing the impact that climate change will have on the Bahamas and the current challenges that exist locally with energy generation and distribution, the Ministry placed special attention on identifying opportunities to increase and introduce renewable energy into the public sector,” Minister Ferreira said, in the House of Assembly.
“The adoption of energy-efficiency measures offers a wide range of benefits, well beyond its contribution to climate policies,” he added. “These benefits include increases in disposable income and improved industrial productivity – with positive effects for economic growth, improved local air quality – with associated health benefits, and poverty alleviation.
Minister Ferreira noted that, in 2018, his Ministry was successfully awarded a grant from the Italian government for the retrofitting of T.G. Glover Primary School.
“One of the largest primary schools on New Providence, T. G. Glover currently has 730 registered students and is a magnet school for students with learning disabilities,” he said. “The project includes the installation of a 136.2kw photo-voltaic battery backup system or PVBBS, the construction of a greenhouse for a pilot horticulture curriculum study, the establishing of a pilot recycling program to investigate suitable solid waste management strategies for educational institutions, and the rehabilitation of sensitive wetland that is located on the school’s property.
“This solarization project is also projected to be completed by September 2019.”
Earlier in his Contribution, Minister Ferreira noted the 925kw solar system installation at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium that was completed in March 2019, the single largest, most structurally sound solar canopy installation in the region, to date.
In the continuation of his updates, Minister Ferreira said during the month before his Contribution that day, his Ministry completed the energy audit of the Office of the Prime Minister.
“This energy audit will form the basis of the request for proposal process to facilitate the construction of the 475.5kw solar-covered car park on the grounds of the Office of the Prime Minister, which will also feature the installation of electric vehicle charging stations,” he said. “Funds for this project are available in the 2019/2020 budget estimates.”
Minister Ferreira also announced an initiative that would include the Green Climate Fund (GCF), which is the world’s largest international climate fund, having raised $10.3 billion equivalent in pledges from 43 state governments.
“Its mandate or mission is to use all of that pledged money to finance and promote development that is resilient to climate change, to build and strengthen our institutional capacities,” he stated. “The Ministry has applied for and received readiness support under the GCF Readiness Programme to conduct a grid stability study in New Providence.”
“This study will augment the work of the power company and the IDB to evaluate the current condition of the national electricity grid, with a view to making the necessary upgrades to ensure a reliable and efficient grid,” Minister Ferreira added. “Graphite Engineering, Ltd. are the local experts on this initiative.”
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