NEED TO KNOW
The Role of the National Utilities
Regulatory Commission in the
Photovoltaic Installation Process
W
ith the increase in oil
prices and ultimately
electricity bills, for
many Saint Lucians solar energy
can prove to be an ideal source of
power for homes and businesses.
The exorbitant cost to consumers
and the local economy’s import-
dependent, petroleum-based
electricity system needs greater
energy conservation and a
transition to more affordable,
domestic renewable energy
sources.
“With increasingly fluctuating
electricity rates” and financing
opportunities readily available
through avenues such as Saint
Lucia Development Bank’s Climate
Adaptation Financing Facility
(CAAF), the solar photovoltaic
energy market appears to be
gaining momentum in Saint Lucia.
Consequently, the continuously
increasing energy demand,
environmental concerns about
climate change and need for less
dependency on fossil fuels are
driving greater awareness towards
the use of renewable energy
worldwide and solar photovoltaics
is now a growing trend in
sustainable energy transition. Lucia Electricity Services Limited
(LUCELEC), the Government
agreed that what was needed
to create a sustainable, reliable,
cost-effective and equitable
electricity service was not a
piecemeal approach to renewable
energy investment, but rather a
comprehensive long-term plan.
Photovoltaic power generation
uses solar panels composed of a
number of solar cells containing a
photovoltaic material. Photovoltaic
cells convert sunlight into electrical
energy, which can be subsequently
stored in a bank of batteries. To this end, the Government
adopted the National Energy
Transition Strategy (NETS) which
built upon the fundamental
analytical principles of an
Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) to
model the costs of various future
energy portfolios, which could
reliably meet the electrical demand
over a 20-year timeframe. The key
findings of the NETS concluded
that the economically optimal
system is a portfolio of solar, wind,
energy storage, energy efficiency,
and existing diesel generation.
The Saint Lucia National Energy
Policy (2010) recognized the
importance of a secure and
sustainable energy supply as
critical to national development.
Further, in collaboration with
the sole utility company, Saint
42 SL-YOU | It’s All About Business
www.slyoumag.com | September-October 2019