A small band of solar panel protesters braved the rain to make known their feelings over a rise in “unfair” charges.

The Regulatory Authority’s approval of a price hike met opposition from two environmental charities — the Bermuda Environmental Sustainability Taskforce and Greenrock — which together organised a demonstration march from City Hall to the RA’s Wesley Street headquarters at Craig Appin House.

Stuart Kriendler, the chief empowerment officer at Sunny Side Solar, was among the march leaders.

On a turnout of about 30 people, he said: “It doesn’t matter if there was just one person, the main thing to achieve is to show … that we have been roughed up so many times.

“The attendance was hit with the rain and also being so close to Cup Match, so we know a lot more people would be here but for the holiday. But we wanted to show our feelings and that this [increase in solar charges] is unfair.

“This is it, the last straw. The main goal is also to show the RA that people are willing to stand up and be counted. It’s wrong, it’s unfair and it’s inequitable.”

The RA’s approval of increased monthly facilities has been criticised heavily by BEST and Greenrock, which claim the rise will triple the cost for residential solar customers.

A new Belco facilities charge will place an additional monthly cost on residential customers who invested in rooftop solar after being incentivised to do so by successive governments, to reduce Bermuda's reliance on imported fossil fuels.

The new tariff structure is due to start on August 1.

A spokesman for the authority said today that the overseer recognised “some stakeholders disagree with the outcome of the recent rate redesign decision”.

He added that the RA respected the right of individuals to express their views peacefully.

The spokesman said: “Differing perspectives are an expected part of independent regulation.

“However, the RA remains confident that its decision was reached through a robust, transparent and evidence-based process in accordance with its statutory mandate, which requires the RA to balance competing interests and act in the interest of the broader community.”

Mr Kriendler said earlier: “It was just 20 days’ notice to triple facilities.

“If it goes through … it will be an extra $100 a month which will mean $1,200 more per year.

“We know there is a big wealth gap in Bermuda with the haves and have nots. But there is also the unfair way it is being structured with residents paying the same as a massive building.

“So we have situations like the Southampton hotel would pay less a month than Mr and Mrs Bermuda on low incomes.

“This is a one-size-fits-all policy which makes no sense. We seek a graduated facilities charge based on what they [consumers] use because at the moment, this isn’t fair.”

A petition launched last week on change.org by Robbie Godfrey, the chief executive of solar energy company BeSolar, calling for an independent review of the proposed tariff changes, had more than 880 signatures by this afternoon.

Kim Smith, the executive director of BEST, said: “In my opinion this move, while they [RA] deny it is discouraging people from installing new solar panels, I cannot see it as anything else.

“It should also be a fair exchange for the energy that people generate and that you get out what you pay in.

“We really should be encouraging innovative thinking for renewable energy.”

One protester, Anne Hyde, chairwoman of the Bermuda Environment Coalition, held a home-made placard and said: “I am a residential solar panel user and this will impact us all greatly.

“We feel we’re being penalised when we should have our Government support us.”

The charities claimed that the increase “threatens Bermuda’s renewable energy future”.

Mr Godfrey said: “Bermuda is going backwards,

“The whole point of this was to say to the RA, ‘halt this, delay it and have a proper review’.

“Show us the calculations so that we can understand and appreciate this. We want transparency.”

At the steps of Craig Appin House, Mark Fields, the RA board chairman, insisted that there had been transparency at every stage of the move to increase solar charges.

He said: “It was followed thoroughly and transparently.

“The Regulatory Authority acknowledges your concerns and respects the right to raise that through the proper channels.”

The RA said that further information on its approval decision, including supporting analysis and rationale, can visit ra.bm.