The Caribbean nations have all the incentives and resources to convert to 100% renewable energy. But is it happening?
Derek’s one-door shop selling cakes, sweets and soft drinks in Barbados appears at first glance to be just like any other, until you lift your eyes upward. On the roof is an array of solar panels arranged in a less-than textbook design, but the aesthetics don’t matter. What’s important is that it produces usable energy.
What motivated Derek to get into solar power? Was it a desire to be green or combat climate change? “Climate change? I don’t even know what that is,” he says. “I just didn’t want to depend on the power company.” Electricity is expensive in Barbados. Derek bought a solar kit including one panel for $100 (£64).