Of course, we also accept that Allen has a business interest in seeing less regulation - so for the other side of the story, we today caught up with Minister of Public Utilities Michel Chebat. Not surprisingly he has a totally different take on the law - he says it actually opens up the energy market.
We asked him about the claims made in the Solar Alliance's release:
Reporter
"They say "useful solar power has been wasted because solar-producing businesses and homeowners are charged by BEL if they export their excess production back into the grid and that new legislation has been introduced which includes tariffs that disincentivize future grid- friendly solar production. Your response?"
Michel Chebat, Minister of Public Utilities
"Absolutely not the new legislation is actually geared to opening up the energy market the energy sector and it is exactly intended for that so that people who are now using solar panels on their homes in their businesses may have an opportunity to sell the excess into the national grid so it is quite the opposite of the statement."
Reporter
"They say the new legislation will discourage the uptake of grid-tied solar in Belize. Your response?"
Michel Chebat, Minister of Public Utilities
"No, absolutely not. It is intended to have the excess go into the grid."
Reporter
"Speak to us on the idea of leveling the playing field in a manner speaking to provide equity in this particular industry?"
Michel Chebat, Minister of Public Utilities
"Listen, so I think this is for the first time in Belize in the history of Belize you see a piece of legislation that is actually opening up the energy sector and I think that is important because it has been dominated so far by BEL so what this legislation does it really opens up the fields for even new power producers. It opens it up so people at their homes individually and people who want to use for their businesses and people who want to use for their industrial sites now link to the national grid and so for the first time in our country we are seeing where the energy market is being opened up to the entire public."
