Okay. I snagged you with the snappy title, and I apologize.

Jamaica’s utility provider, JPS, has indeed doubled the number of users taking advantage of the recently announced net billing program – a government initiative that allows solar energy producers to sell excess electricity to the utility company at set rates.

However, this shift is not as dramatic as you think.  The program went from 1 user to 2.

But now that I have your attention – this is really good news.

It shows that all of the political posturing that often accompanies green initiatives is actually producing results.  Jamaica has graduated from an island of “future promises” to a nation committed to real and measurable progress.

Today it is 2 users.  Next week it will be 4.  Next month, JPS could potentially approve all 40 of the net billing applications already in the pipeline.

And this is when the landslide begins.  As more and more people see solar panels go up and electricity bills go down, you can expect a stampede of new applicants eager for big savings.

This is what happened when places like Ontario, Germany, and Japan introduced their own solar incentives.  Their programs were so popular that they had to be scaled back because the growth exceeded all expectations.

At USSolar, this is our hope for Jamaica – that it reaches (no – exceeds) its full potential and establishes a template for other Caribbean countries to follow.

This is why we’re hosting the country’s first-ever Jamaica Alternative Energy Expo – a 2-day event in which we gather some of the world’s leading solar PV experts to help Jamaica continue its transition to a cleaner and more sustainable economy.

You see, this net billing program is a great start – a phenomenal start in fact.  But Jamaica’s solar boom could falter if the country doesn’t develop the necessary infrastructure to keep growth on track.

Topics that we’ll cover at the Jamaica Alternative Energy Expo:

  • How do you train a qualified green workforce to handle unprecedented demand for residential and commercial solar PV installations?
  • How do businesses and homeowners receive the financing they need to help pay for new installations?
  • How should the government allocate resources to ensure solar incentive programs remain solvent for as long as possible?
  • How does Jamaica continue to attract foreign investment without creating a solar bubble?
  • How can Jamaican solar PV installations withstand hurricane winds and tropical storms?

If you’d like to participate in any of the above, come and join us for this exciting event.  The Jamaica Alternative Energy Expo will take place from April 15 – 16 at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston.

Contact us today for more information about being a part of this Historic Event for Jamaica!

If you are interested in exhibiting or sponsoring next years Expo, please send us an email today.