Above: a solar panel on the roof of a building in St Kitts (Photo: OPM)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

The government of St Kitts and Nevis is continuing its solar push with plans to establish a solar panel manufacturing plant.

“This will assist in reducing the cost of electricity for those households that will experience the first phase of solar panels that will be installed during the construction of the new homes,” Energy Minister Dr Earl Asim Marin said.

The Ministry is currently in discussions with a Taiwanese company looking to manufacture solar panels in St Kitts both for the local and Caribbean markets.

“We expect a visit by company officials next month and we will have further discussions with [them] in bringing a portion of that company to St Kitts that will manufacture solar panels not only to be sold in St Kitts and Nevis but also in the wider Eastern Caribbean market,” he said.

The government is also planning to put solar panels in country’s new housing developments, with assistance from the government of Taiwan.

“This will assist in reducing the cost of electricity for those households that will experience the first phase of solar panels that will be installed during the construction of the new homes,” he said.

Discussions are taking place with St Kitts Electricity Company to give homeowners with the panels the opportunity to sell power back to the grid and reduce their electrical bills.