Government could introduce congestion charging in a bid to encourage greater energy conservation through carpooling.

It is also to make 'smart meters' an advanced electricity usage meter mandatory in all new buildings.

Minister of Energy Terry Lister announced the moves to the House of Assembly in the statement: 'A National Policy Consultation on Energy Debate'.

As part of Government's Green Paper on a national energy policy, Mr. Lister said campaigns will be rolled out to encourage energy conservation. This will include changing the public's attitude to transport. "Fuel imports to Bermuda have increased significantly since 2003. This increase is thought to be largely due to transportation fuel use," he said. "The rising cost of oil, both in economic and environmental terms, necessitates changes in our attitudes toward transportation."

Mr. Lister said Bermuda had "one of the highest densities of motorised vehicles in the world", at almost 2,300 vehicles per square mile, and each litre of petrol produced 2.3 kg of CO2 (carbon dioxide).

"Carpooling will reduce dependency on fossil fuels and ease congestion," he said. "Public relations campaigns and incentives such as congestion charging based on occupancy are options to encourage carpooling."

Congestion charging has already been adopted in many European cities to cut down on traffic and pollution. For example, motorists travelling into central London between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday to Friday pay a daily charge of eight pounds sterling. Cameras at the charging zone's entry points match car number plates against a database of vehicles whose drivers have paid the charge. Anyone who has not paid by the end of the day is fined £80.

Since the congestion charge was launched in 2003, traffic levels in central London are said to have dropped by a fifth, or by 70,000 cars. Regarding 'smart meters', Mr. Lister said: "It shall be mandatory to fit smart meters with net metering capabilities to all new buildings and to plan a retrofit programme for existing buildings.

"This will provide the foundation for the interconnection of small-scale renewable energy to the electric grid and this will enable consumers to track their electricity use and will therefore create greater opportunities for savings."

Smart meters not only provide 'real time' information to consumers on energy usage, but have a net/dual (two-way) metering capacity which allows electricity produced from small-scale (domestic) renewables to be tracked.

As net metering enables the flow of electricity both ways, this will allow householders with micro-wind turbine or solar technology to sell surplus energy back to Belco. "During times when a consumer's generation of power exceeds usage, electricity is permitted to flow back through the electric grid," explained Mr. Lister.

Sustainable development group Greenrock yesterday congratulated Government on its proposed initiatives.

President Andrew Vaucrosson said: "We have had lengthy dialogue with members of the Department of Energy as well as many of the stakeholders in this industry, and many of the items highlighted have been issues we have been talking about since 2006. We are grateful to see that Minister Lister is pushing forward with many of the ideas."

Mr. Vaucrosson said he was pleased to see plans for a regulatory authority and for relaxed Customs tariffs for energy-efficient goods and renewables.

Greenrock has called for an independent energy authority to ensure transparency among suppliers and contracts, and that consumers' interests are paramount. Mr. Vaucrosson said: "Greenrock would like to be part of this authority since we feel our non-partisan approach and our overall focus would be a benefit in this capacity."

Greenrock has also been recommending an overhaul of the Bermuda Customs Tariff Act since 2007. "Our duty tariff structure is truly the best way to provide incentives to importing more sustainable goods into Bermuda," said Mr. Vaucrosson.

"By adjusting the duty tariff, these products can be introduced to everyone and not just those who can afford them, and that is the social benefit."

He also welcomed the announcement to encourage carpooling. "It's only fair to state that Government needs to show by example, and begin converting its fleet to vehicles that are more sustainable," he added.

Commenting on smart meters and revisions to the Building Code, he said: "Our Building Code and development orders need to be updated to incorporate more sustainable building design and construction techniques. More green technologies need to be incorporated into Bermuda's standards.

"However, the challenge is taking these policy statements and implementing them."

Mr. Vaucrosson said: "Government is moving in the right direction, and Greenrock is prepared to help and provide assistance in making these things happen quickly without compromising thoroughness to detail.

"We are interested in finding solutions that will help Bermuda become a more sustainable place for everyone."