Environmental non-profit Greenrock yesterday welcomed Belco's decision to delay expansion of its plant but warned that Bermuda must reduce its dependence on fossil fuels to make any meaningful change.

The charity spoke out following Tuesday's news that Belco will postpone its decision on whether to redevelop its Pembroke site until 2011.

"This news is very encouraging, and we commend Belco in making this decision and publicly confirming that they are taking a 'wait and see' approach towards the future expansion of their Pembroke plant," said a spokesman for Greenrock. "However, this announcement only pushes the timeline to 2011 and so much more needs to take place."

Greenrock issued a list of environmental initiatives that should be enacted by 2011 to make a real change to Bermuda's energy consumption. These include a public dialogue to ensure Bermuda understands the Government's energy policies as outlined in the Green Paper, as well as economic incentives or penalties tied to energy consumption.

The charity also said that more buildings should be built or retrofitted with energy-efficient design, and that school-age children should be educated on ways to cut down their energy usage.

Greenrock also advocated energy audits by households and offices to determine how much power is being used by appliances. "The cost of energy affects all of us and truly affects the cost of living and our environment in Bermuda," said the Greenrock spokesman. "Bermuda has to reduce its dependence on energy produced from fossil fuels. Greenrock has been a strong advocate for energy conservation as a quick solution in helping to reduce our peak demand.

"Plus, with introduction of renewable energy sources like solar, wind, wave being considered, this is truly taking Bermuda in the right direction."