Government to Resume Net Billing Arrangement

The Government is expected to resume its net billing arrangement in another two to three weeks.

This is according to Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Phillip Paulwell, who is encouraging more persons to get on board and make this worthwhile investment.

“I have issued so far over 300 licences to enable Jamaicans who want to establish their facility to generate electricity, to be able to sell the excess amount that they generate to the grid. They get some money in their pocket from that investment that they are making,” he said.

The Minister was speaking at the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) Schools Energy Programme awards ceremony, held at the Knutsford Court Hotel in Kingston on June 26.

The net billing system, which was introduced in 2012, allows persons who own renewable energy generators, such as wind turbines and photovoltaic (solar) systems, to generate electricity for personal use, and to sell excess energy to the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) grid.

This forms part of measures that the Government is undertaking towards ‘cleaner energy strategies,’ which will eventually reduce the island’s energy bill.

Mr. Paulwell further expressed satisfaction that the demand for electricity has fallen, “not because we are using less electricity, but more of our people are generating their own.”

The Minister said he is pleased that educational institutions can now get involved in the process and contribute to the reduction of the country’s energy bill. He said Cabinet has given approval for 14 schools to be outfitted with photovoltaic panels.

“We are hoping that those schools can come off the grid and sell some energy to the grid eventually,” he said.

In the meantime, primary and high school students who submitted winning entries in the Schools Energy Programme’s essay, science and poster competitions, received cash and prizes valued at more than $1.8 million.

The competitions are the highlight of the Schools Energy Programme, which the PCJ carries out annually as a means of promoting energy education among Jamaica’s youth.