• advocate

Greenrock has long been an advocate for renewable energy in Bermuda - and this largely stems from our concerns about climate change and the need to reduce our carbon footprint.  It also stems from our concerns about the catastrophic impact of an oil spill on our reefs, and the public health impacts associated with fossil fuels in Bermuda.

In Bermuda we believe we have an unprecedented opportunity to move towards a sustainable energy model. 

Presently, electricity on the island is almost entirely supplied by heavy fuel-oil generators, and we recognize that we urgently need to shift to a renewable, more sustainable energy portfolio, focused primarily on solar and wind energy technologies.

We are involved in public consultations on energy policy and related issues, and speak out for renewable energy in the media. Through our Green Building Forum we also aim to support workplaces adopt renewable energy and greater energy efficient technologies too.

Our Policy Recommendations for Bermuda:

Set Building Efficiency Standards and invest in Energy Efficiency

• Consider an electricity tariff structure which reduces the emphasis on volumetric pricing and increase the incentive for energy efficiency.
• Reduce or eliminate duty on high efficiency components such as timers and LED lights. Require imported appliances to have Energy Star Ratings (where possible).

Invest in a 'Smarter Grid'

• Use cost and price signals to increase system efficiency, for example through time of day or real-time pricing.
• Harness advanced information technology (a 'smart grid') and interactive Demand Management to manage variability

Set and Support Renewable Energy Targets

• Eliminate the customs duty on renewable energy systems and components 
• Include social and environmental externalities in cos-benefit analyses
• Provide standardized licenses and PPAs for commercial scale renewable energy installations 
• Allow equal access to the grid for all forms of energy - require grid development which supports distributed energy

Our Members featured on SailGP Champions for Change

One of our major achievements over the past few years was being front and center in the successful lobbying of the Regulatory Authority with regards to the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) for energy production in Bermuda.  As advocates for the Bermuda Better Energy Plan, Greenrock and others managed to encourage over 800 people to submit responses to the Regulatory Authority’s Public Consultation process demanding increased renewables in Bermuda’s energy production.  On 30 June 2019, the Regulatory Authority issued a revised IRP reflecting these concerns. The alternative had been BELCO’s proposal to commit the island to fossil fuel generation (LNG) for the foreseeable future, with less than 15% of the island’s energy production coming from renewables, even in 20 years’ time.

Download the Bermuda Better Energy Plan | Report

Download the Bermuda Better Energy Plan | Brief Summary

• advocate

Greenrock is Bermuda's climate change NGO - we raise awareness about global climate change, the potential impact on Bermuda, and what we can do individually and as a country to either try and prevent it or at least climate-proof Bermuda for it.

Every year we're seeing the impacts of global climate change grow worse, and the potential impacts on Bermuda become clearer - be it sea level rises, the impact of ocean acidification and deoxygenation on our reefs and marine economic exclusive zone, the intensity of extreme weather events such as hurricanes or drought or the public health impacts of disease, heat waves or even invasive species.

Climate change and its impact on Bermuda are central to Greenrock's role as a sustainability NGO.

On a policy level we advocate for:

• Caps on greenhouse gas emissions;
• A plan to increase our renewable energy usage;
• Climate change proofing our infrastructure;
• Reducing Bermuda's carbon footprint.

Greenrock believes that it is still possible to prevent the worst impacts of climate change, and that the faster we act, the better for Bermuda and for the world. However, the challenge is immense and it is daunting.

Will you help us?

• Donate to Greenrock now!

• Volunteer with Greenrock.

• Join Greenrock as a member.