Harnessing the power of the wind, sea and sun and decreasing Bermuda's reliance on fossil fuels are some of the issues explored in a new Government discussion paper tabled in Parliament yesterday.

Cabinet Minister Terry Lister presented the Bermuda Energy Green Paper to MPs and urged Islanders to pick up a copy and get involved in a national debate on the development of a comprehensive energy policy.

He told a press conference that Bermuda fell into the top ten or 12 countries in the world for energy consumption per person and that it was time to start considering alternative sources of power.

The Minister said Government did not plan to spend "the people's money" on untested technologies, preferring to find out what has worked elsewhere.

Mr. Lister said oil prices "sky rocketed" last summer, increasing Bermudians' Belco's bills. "Unfortunately, they have continued to rise ever since," he said.

"Globally, nations and economies grapple with energy supply and demand and our tiny island's dependence on foreign supplies to generate our energy has exposed a great vulnerability.

"The high cost of electricity in Bermuda is a strong driver towards alternative, reliable and affordable energy technologies, and, while to some Belco may appear to be the culprit, let me say that they have joined us to seek better ways to generate and provide energy for Bermuda."

The Minister added: "Belco's position is this: either I'm going to ride the train or it's going to run over me. Belco decided from the start it was going to ride the train."

He said the Green Paper was compiled following public meetings last autumn and with input from taxpayers as well as local and overseas experts. A White Paper setting out how an energy policy could be implemented will follow in July.

"The Energy Green Paper is our first step," explained Mr. Lister. "This document will help educate Bermudians on the challenges and opportunities we face across a broad energy landscape."

He urged everyone on the Island to take simple measures to reduce their energy consumption such as: washing clothes in warm water, using Energy Star-rated appliances and compact fluorescent and LED light bulbs, turning off room lights, and unplugging appliances not in use.

Mr. Lister said some potential alternative sources of energy for a small island such as Bermuda included wave, solar, wind and current power.

But he said radical plans to capture ocean currents, announced by Belco and Massachusetts-based private firm Current to Current in 2006, "just did not succeed" due to the technology involved.

• Copies of the Green Paper are available at the Department of Energy, in the Perry Building on Church St, Hamilton, or can be downloaded at www.gov.bm