Bermuda Alternative Energy Ltd.'s (BAE) key selling point is as a one-stop shop for alternative energy, energy conservation and efficiency needs.

The company, which was established in January as part of the Bermuda Air Conditioning Ltd. (BAC) group of companies, utilises its parent company's skills and experience in implementing air conditioning and heating systems to make buildings more efficient.

"This is more of a concerted effort to get into renewables and to do it in a whole-hearted way," said Chris Nash, engineering manager at BAE. "We are trying to be a total solutions company."

Operating out of BAC's offices in Mill Creek Road, Pembroke, BAE offers a range of products from solar thermal and photovoltaic technologies to small wind turbines, heat pump water heaters and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), as well as services including attic and pipe insulations.

Encouraging its customers to improve their energy efficiency and conservation around the home and in the office as a priority through the use of CFLs and their own electricity consumption, BAE can then provide them with a number of major appliances such as the heat pump water heaters, costing $2,100 for the product alone and $3,000 including installation.

The device, known as the Geyser, which is made by North Road Technologies, works by pulling heat from surrounding air to heat the water and claims to save around two-thirds of your water heating energy costs versus a conventional electric water heater, as well as cooling and dehumidifying the surrounding air.

Mr. Nash said that the advantage of BAE was its ability to take on commercial installations - a service which many of its smaller competitors were unable to offer - by tapping into the resources and 200-strong staff base of plumbers, HVAC technicians and electricians specifically trained in solar and wind technologies at BAC.

The company, which is always keen to practise what it preaches, is due to launch its first wind turbine on BAC's new building this month, he said.

Looking forward, Mr. Nash said that Government has to set realistic targets for energy conservation and come up with a plan to achieve them, with the hope that its next White Paper would address a lot of those issues, in order to catch up with the likes of the US, UK and Germany, while doing more to change the mindset of the average Bermuda resident about reducing carbon emissions.

Pleased by what he has seen so far with the rebates Government has been offering on solar photovoltaic panelling, he would also like to see some concessions made for solar hot water systems to make them a more attractive proposition.

Other areas which would help to improve energy efficiency include feed-in tariffs and other utility rate structures that have already proved to be a big success overseas, he said.

Contact 278-6225, email c.nash@bac.bm">c.nash@bac.bm or visit the website at www.bae.bm for more details.