The Government has saved $42,000 in electricity costs since solar panels started operating on the roofs of the General Post Office and the Government Administration Building in June, MPs were told.

David Burch, the public works minister, said savings of $100,800 were expected for the full year from the project, which is the first of a three-phase solar panel project.

Colonel Burch said that the second phase of the project was under way at the Bus Garage at Fort Langton on Palmetto Road in Devonshire. The panels there will be used to power the Department of Public Transportation’s electric facility from April, 2023.

The third phase, of the Transport Control Department Building, is expected to be completed in the third quarter of next year.

The $2.9 million project was awarded to Alternative Energy Systems two years ago and was expected to realise savings of $500,000 a year based on energy costs then, meaning the Government would recover its costs in six years.

Colonel Burch said ten bids were received in October to a request for proposal to install solar panels for a further 30 government buildings and these were now being reviewed.

The proposed sites for the installation include schools across the island, both the prison facilities, the Dame Lois Browne Evans Building, Global House, the Ministry of Public Works quarry department and the Fort Prospect water catchment.

The combined photovoltaic capacity at the sites was estimated to be 6.95MW.