Further to the Commission’s decision of February 20, 2015 which approved the increase in the Renewable Energy Rider (RER) programme from 9MW to 20MW and which also required that all new distributed photovoltaic (PV) systems should have frequency ride through (FRT) capability, the Barbados Light & Power (BL&P) has revised the interconnection provisions of the RER programme to give effect to this decision.

The Commission has completed review of the revised document which, among other things, also includes the requirement for voltage ride through (VRT) capability, and has approved the BL&P Requirements for Grid Interconnection for Renewable Generation Systems dated June 18, 2015.

In view of responses and concerns raised by installers of PV generation systems who had inverters in stock prior to the Commission’s February 20th Decision, the Commission has revised its position as follows:

The Barbados Light and Power Co. Ltd shall

• Install all systems that were approved based on applications submitted on or before February 20, 2015 which have inverters with or without Frequency Ride Through (FRT) or Voltage Ride Through (VRT) capability;
• Install all inverters, regardless of their capacity, which were purchased on or before February 20, 2015 and which are converted to FRT/VRT even though such stock have not yet been assigned /approved;
• Install inverters not capable of FRT/VRT conversion and of individual capacities less than or equal to 10kW, not assigned/approved where it can be proven that such stock was purchased on or before February 20, 2015; and
• Decline to install any inverters above 10kW, which do not have FRT/VRT conversion, and were not assigned/approved on or before February 20, 2015.

These installations shall be in accordance with licensing and other provisions of the Electric Light and Power Act, 2013-21.