BEL Chairman says Solar Energy is not THE Solution

B.E.L. Chairman Andrew Marshalleck was asked about the viability of solar as Belize’s energy solution and why incentives aren’t provided for those opting for solar panels. He cited that the production cost of solar energy surpasses what consumers pay B.E.L. for electricity. Marshalleck emphasised that while some view solar energy romantically, its practical implementation faces significant challenges.

 

Andrew Marshalleck, Chairman, Belize Electricity Limited

“I have heard people express views that this is your solution. Solar cannot be your solution. It is not the solution to anything. It is a solution. It can contribute to an overall positive outcome but in and of itself it cannot solve anything. I can demonstrate this easily for you. Assume we have no grid, no generation capacity and all Belizeans would buy solar panels to put on their roofs to provide electricity. You have a hundred and twenty-five megawatts capacity in solar panels. Solar panels give a hundred watts each. That is about five hundred and fifty million dollars of solar panels you need. Not even wires, inverters that you need. That by the way is every last dollar saved by every last Belizean in this country in the banking system right now. So let us put it into perspective, even if you were to say everybody go ahead and put solar panels in right now. Everybody don’t have the capacity. They don’t have the capacity to do that. Some people have the capacity more than others. But assuming everybody does find that money and put those panels on their roof and we get electricity from these panels. I ignore for simplification that you need inverters, wires, forget those, you have your panels, solve your electricity problems. It solves it from when eh sun comes up to when the sun goes down at night. So what do you do at night time. So you need batteries in addition to your panels. So when you buy batteries in addition to your panels the cost of production of electricity exceeds what you are buying electricity right now from BEL. We estimate that price per kilowatt hour two dollars plus, not forty-six cents. Batteries ae not a solution for you.”