Water preservation This contrasts with our attitude towards water where we have always been very careful about its use. In Bermuda our houses are built with underground tanks and rain water is collected on our roofs and stored in these tanks. Water is
generally used carefully to avoid running out. However water is supplied by the government through two principal means: tapping into the water lens and by means of desalination plants. Very seldom is water imported as the population treats water in a very respectful manner. To date we have relied on one power source, the publicly held Bermuda Electric Light Company (BELCO). Historically, the company has met our ever increasing needs, though parts of the island lose power during hurricanes. System failures have occurred but very infrequently. Due to the reliability of BELCO and the population’s general price insensitivity, previously there was little interest in other energy sources. Not even a major regional conference, the Workshop on Renewable and Alternative Energy Technologies for Bermuda and other small islands in June 2000 impacted the
18 | The Parliamentarian | 2009: Issue One - Bermuda
national mindset regarding energy use and production.
Our electricity costs are high at 37 cents per Kwh. This was up 31 per cent in 2008 over the prior year. The Bermuda government has a price commission before which BELCO must appear in order to be granted permission to raise prices, but despite this, the prices rose considerably as the world oil prices also rose. Today we realize we must change. There is no magic wand, but a variety of measures instituted will contribute to solving the problem for Bermuda. To bring about the changes the country needs, the Department of Energy instituted a legal framework with thoughtful and sound legislation to ensure that alternative energy could be supplied at a fair cost and that access to the National grid was available to all.
Title page: Petrol prices have risen considerably; Above: Traditional Bermudan rooftops made from lime stone slates, designed to catch rain water. The white paint contains elements that purify rain water, the steps in the roof filter out dust and debris. The water is then channeled into pipes, and then into subterranean storage tanks. Left: Electricity costs are also high in the country.