A local solar panel company is challenging Belco’s claims of fair pricing in an unusual way — by paying the bills of some Belco customers.

Greenlight Energy today launched their Powering Our Seniors campaign offering to cover the November bills, up to $1,000 — of ten senior citizens.

Managing director Cameron Smith said he was tired of hearing that nothing can be done about Bermuda’s rising energy costs.

In March, Belco attributed a $14 increase in monthly electricity bills to fluctuating global markets.

“We have heard the present message that rising costs are out of everyone’s control,” Mr Smith said. “We do not believe that is the full story. There is always something that can be done, even if it is extremely small.”

Solar energy is supposed to help people lower their energy costs, but not everyone can afford solar panels. The price tag for a starter installation of eight panels is around $20,000.

“We cannot control global markets, but we can control how we show up for each other,” cofounder Mr Smith said. “The cost of energy has risen a fair bit over the past five years. Those who are on fixed incomes are more susceptible to those increases. That is why we wanted to help seniors with this.”

Alternative energy companies like Greenlight benefit when Belco rates rise. There is always increased interest in solar power after a price hike.

“Bermuda has some of the highest electricity costs in the world,” Mr Smith said.

The alternative energy company also receives more attention after hurricanes when people lose their electricity. After Hurricane Melissa last month they had many calls from people asking about energy storage systems that could keep their houses going after the storm.

In the years since Greenlight began, solar power has become much more mainstream, but Mr Smith’s biggest challenge is still education.

“Once people understand that they can recoup their money within five to seven years of installation, solar panels become a lot more compelling,” he said.

In the United States under President Donald Trump, many renewable energy projects have been brought to a standstill as tax credit programmes have been cancelled.

“In Bermuda, we are somewhat isolated from federal tax credits,” Mr Smith said. “Those policy changes impact the Bermuda market a lot less.”

However, Greenlight is keeping a close eye on newly implemented American import tariffs on solar panels and equipment.

Most solar panels are manufactured in China.

“So far, we have not been hit too hard,” he said. “We have been working with our suppliers for a number of years and it seems like they have absorbed a lot of the cost increases that may be occurring.”

However, he thought Bermuda’s solar industry could start to feel price rises next year due to the tariffs.

“The situation is extremely dynamic, so I do not know,” he said. “The narrative changes very often. We just keep a close eye on what is going on.”

• To suggest an applicant for the Powering Our Seniors campaign, e-mail info@greenlight.bm. Include senior’s name, contact details and a short summary on how not having an energy bill in November would help them. The deadline is November 24