Government hopes that the number of solar panel installations on the Island will soon “double or triple”, according to Economic Development and Energy Minister Grant Gibbons.Dr Gibbons was speaking at the opening ceremony of Bermuda’s first ever solar power and energy savings showroom on Tuesday.The showroom has been set up by the Bermuda Engineering Company (BEC), which wants to see the Island becoming “a world showcase in regards to appropriate renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies”.At Tuesday’s opening, BEC Chief Engineer Travis Burland said: “This is the culmination of years of hard work and dedication from the Bermuda Engineering team to put together Bermuda’s first solar and energy savings showroom.“My great grandfather started this business in the 1930s. He had installed a wind turbine at his home in Paget, and had grand designs for the Bermuda solar water heater. Here we are today, proud to present our new showroom to the public.“Our goal is to help Bermudians connect with cost effective solutions to help reduce their electricity costs and impact on the environment.“Everything from energy efficient lighting to solar technologies, we aim to offer a range of solutions for every Bermudian home and business with a view to reduce our reliance on imported fossil fuels and utilise our local resources in a more effective capacity.“We also provide a range of energy-efficient products such as LED lighting, variable speed pool pumps, heat pump water heaters and will soon be providing ultra high-efficiency air conditioners and home appliances as well, so even if you cannot install a solar energy system on your home, you can still reduce your electricity bill.“With so much bad news about the economy, we want to show that there are good things happening, the renewable energy industry is growing, new jobs are being created for Bermudians and we are helping people to reduce their electricity bills at the same time, it’s just what we need.”Solar specialist Stuart Kriendler added: “Our mission is to help every home and business in Bermuda reduce their energy bills and environmental impact through the use of energy efficient and solar energy technologies.“It has long been our dream to create a showroom where the public can come to see these technologies in a relaxed environment and learn about how they work first-hand from qualified professionals who are installing these systems every day.“There is a lot of interest in the community about renewable energy, and now there is a place where people can discover the answers to common questions such as how we design systems to survive hurricanes.”Conducting the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Dr Gibbons said that there were currently 104 PV installations on the Island, but Government wanted to see that number increase in line with an Energy White Paper.BEC has completed more than 50 solar projects in Bermuda and will is now working on the biggest solar hot water project Bermuda has ever seen.