Last Updated on December 23, 2025, 3:27 PM AST by Anthony Morris
Konris Maynard, the Minister of Public Utilities has announced the launch of two transformative and innovative initiatives for the promotion of clean renewable energy. The rollout for both the initiatives is planned for January 2026.
Minister Konris Maynard said that the initiatives are called DRIVE and SOLARISE. Both wete unveiled during the 2026 Budget debate on December 18. The Minister shared the details about the two initiatives and how they will help in making the programme a success. The Minister defined the two initiatives and their roles in the development of the St Kitts and Nevis Sustainable Island State Agenda.
DRIVE stands for Decarbonised Roadway Initiative for Vehicle Electrification. The initiative has already received cabinet approval in the document form. The initiative lays down the national vision and sets objectives for the electric vehicle (EV) adoption. The Minister has clarified that the policy aligns with the international best practices while taking care of the local realities. The policy lays down a practical roadmap for implementation.
Minister Konris Maynard has confirmed that in line with the policy, the Cabinet of St Kitts and Nevis has already approved a number of concessions for EV and hybrid vehicles. The launch of the initiative will be done in the month of January. At this party, the people will be given more details about the implementation plan for the project.
The SOLARISE, stands for the SOLAR Integration for Sustainable Energy. Under this programme, the government will introduce small-scale distributed renewable energy regulations.
For the first time in the history of the nation individuals and businesses will be given incentives for installing rooftop solar systems. AT the same time, the government will also introduce a fair compensation rate to pay for excess energy returned to the national power grid.
Under this programme, the government wants to integrate a cumulative total of five (5) megawatts of distributed solar PV generation capacity on or before the year 2030
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
