Barbados is a shining example of how Government leadership can mobilise an entire country?s environmental mindset.

More than 31,000 solar water heaters are installed in homes, businesses and hotels in Barbados, according to the University of the West Indies.

Back in the late 1970?s a forward thinking prime minister named Tom Adams offered homeowners tax incentives if they installed domestic solar water heating systems.

Between 1974 and 1992, 23,388 people took advantage of the opportunity and the entire country benefited.

That environmental pioneering laid crucial groundwork because last month the country?s Environmental Minister said Barbados will get 25 percent of the country?s energy from renewable sources by 2026.

The key to their master plan is having all those domestic solar system users route their excess energy into the national grid ? and they?ll be compensated for it.

Once that happens the homeowner, who is already saving about 30 percent on his energy bill, can save as much as 60 percent more.

Those people who invested in renewable energy back in the 70?s should see a financial return they never imagined.

The numbers are revealing.

According to the University of the West Indies, the initial set up cost is about $1500 for a solar system. A new electric water heater costs about $500.

But after tracking similar usage of the two systems over a two period, both customers paid nearly the exact same amount ? because the renewable energy consumer is saving $520 per year.

In Barbados solar water heating completely pays for itself in about 72 months.

For the entire nation the bottom line savings are even more impressive. National solar use eliminates the importation of about 33,000 tonnes of fossil fuel, a $6.5m savings at the price of $25 per barrel.

With almost 30 years of experience under its belt, Barbados is leaps and bounds ahead of Bermuda, and the United States for that matter, in the implementation and use of solar energy.

Now Barbados vows to embrace photo voltaic and wind energy with the same fervour Primer Minister Tom Adams showed for solar back in the 1970?s.