In 2020 I wrote a review about the Sun Exchange, the world’s first peer-to-peer solar panel micro-leasing platform which powers solar projects primarily in South Africa. Now a very similar model is available in Barbados which allows Barbadians to own solar panels within an operating solar project and thereby earn solar passive income for 25 … Continue reading
Getting involved in the funding of the global solar power transition has never been easier. I started with micro solar projects in Africa through SunFunder before moving onto community solar projects in Ontario, Canada via SolarShare. The Sun Exchange is the next step in that progression by enabling global participation through leveraging distributed solar PV … Continue reading
When the world entered a collective lockdown in March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic many were unsure of just how long it would last. Volatility and uncertainty gripped the financial markets and economies were destabilized, seemingly overnight. As businesses closed their doors and the public stayed indoors the demand for oil dried up and … Continue reading
It’s that time again – a sudden uptick in “sick days”, longer lunch breaks and people leaving work early can mean only one thing – World Cup action is back! This particular World Cup is special due to the role solar power is playing. You may have noticed during the matches an advertisement on … Continue reading
Imagine you discovered there was $1 million worth of gold in your backyard. Would you buy the mining equipment to extract it? What if you didn’t have the money to buy the equipment, would you let that stop you? What if the gold vein turned out to be endless? You could pay off the equipment … Continue reading
With the drivers of high electricity costs and abundant sunshine, one might expect that Barbados would be generating more electricity from the sun, so why isn’t there more solar PV in Barbados? There are some known barriers to the uptake of solar by consumers and businesses which are common worldwide. These include: Upfront Capital … Continue reading
Barbados is a small island – how much energy can we really get from the sun? It is actually more energy than we would know what to do with. Each square metre of surface area receives about 7 kWh of solar energy on a clear day during the dry season, a 430 square kilometre island … Continue reading
Global energy distribution – sunlight reaches everyone on the planet at roughly 1000W/m2 Easily available to anyone – sunlight is available to everyone regardless of social or economic status Maintenance free – unlike conventional power plants, the Sun requires no maintenance Inaccessible to attack – at a safe 150 million kilometres away, this space … Continue reading
This sign from the 19th century might make you chuckle, particularly the last section in smaller font. When electricity was first introduced, it was revolutionary and it changed people’s lives and the entire world. With any new technology however, people need to learn about it, become familiar with it and understand it. Along with … Continue reading
In the now distant past, 18th century, the largest contributor to the Barbadian economy was sugar cane production. This important industry helped lay the foundation of the country as we know it today. By the 20th century the largest contributor to the economy became tourism, with over one million tourists visiting the island each year. … Continue reading
