NASSAU, The Bahamas – The Bahamas moved a step closer to mitigating the effects of climate change and transforming the energy sector with the opening of The Bahamas Energy Audit Training Program.

The 2-weeks program for key stakeholders who represent the energy and environment sectors including BPL, the Ministry of Works and Utilities, BTVI, civil society organizations among others, opened Monday, April 17, 2023 at National Training Agency, Gladstone Road.

The program is a collaboration of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MENR), the Green Climate Fund, the Rocky Mountain Institute and Abraxas Energy Consulting. In addition to providing the MENR with a core group of trained individuals to conduct energy surveys, the objective of the program is to assist with developing a national pipeline of retrofit and installation projects necessary to meet the nation’s energy policy commitments.

During the opening, Dr. Rhianna Neely, Director, Department of Environmental Planning and Protection (DEPP), Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MENR) said the Department saw it necessary to ensure that it increases physical resilience, that citizens are equipped to move with the technology and train future cohorts of professionals across sectors.
“We are making this transition in electric vehicles, energy efficiency, solar so we need Bahamians to participate in this transition. This is a part of our goal,” said Dr. Neilly.

"We are relying on the people in this room to do their very best. Pay attention, pass these exams so that when the MENR calls on you to conduct an energy audit, a solar assessment, you are well equipped to do it for yourself and on behalf of your country.”

The Hon. Vaughn Miller, Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources remarked that the workshop is a testament to the commitment the government has made to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change, and help citizens and residents adapt to climate change in ways that are as minimally intrusive as possible.

Said Minister Miller, “We have partnered with the GCF, the primary sponsors of this training, the RMI and Abraxas to ensure that as we build physical resilience, we are building capacity to continue to adapt to the impacts of climate change within our borders. The deployment of renewable energy and investments in energy efficiency technology go hand-in-hand with our country’s commitment to reduce our country’s carbon footprint, increase the quality of life for Bahamians and decrease the cost of living in The Bahamas. These investments also decrease our dependence on foreign oil and also decrease our dependence on country partners for assistance in the maintenance and operation of the systems that are being deployed across the nation.”

Minister Miller expressed thanks to GCF, RMI and Abraxas for the investment in the program to ensure a “just” transition from fossil fuels, to renewable energy and the insight to help to build the necessary human capacity to respond to the changes in the environment.

In 2021, the DEPP with RMI, applied for and received a grant from the GCF for a Readiness Proposal to build a framework for energy auditing and solar assessment required to scale a national pipeline of projects to achieve The Bahamas’ Nationally Determined Commitment (NDC) by 2030 and transform its energy sector to mitigate the effects of climate change.

9472 - Some of the participants at the Energy Audit Training Program at National Training Agency on Monday, April 17, 2023.

9471 – Participants in the Energy Audit Training Program are shown.

Dr. Rhianna Neely, Director, Department of Environmental Planning and Protection (DEPP), Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources is shown speaking at the opening of the program.

The Hon. Vaughn Miller, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, gives remarks at the start of the event.