Commissioning Ceremony for Rooftop Solar Panel Network at UB’s Oakes Field Campus

6^th July 2026

Nassau, THE BAHAMAS – Prime Minister the Honourable Philip Davis says University of The Bahamas (UB) has strengthened its role as a leader in the country’s transition to renewable energy with the commissioning of a rooftop solar panel system at the Oakes Field Campus on Friday 3^rd July.

Addressing the ceremony held in the courtyard of the College of Tourism, Hospitality, Culinary Arts and Leisure Management (THe CALM), Prime Minister Davis said the University had taken its place “at the vanguard of our energy transition.”

“You are setting an example and proving your commitment to stewardship – leaving our islands better that we found them,” said Prime Minister Davis. “Today’s achievement reflects what can be accomplished when we work together in pursuit of a stronger Bahamas.”

In a nation still scarred by the growing impacts of climate change, he stressed that clean energy is a national necessity.

“When we harness the sun, we ensure that even when the storms come, our lights stay on,” said the prime minister, adding that “The Bahamas will not just endure the future; we will power it.”

UB has a network of more than 800 solar panels atop the Technology Building and THe CALM, giving close to 291 kilowatts of clean, energy-generating capacity under the Reconstruction with Resilience in the Energy Sector in The Bahamas (RRESB) Programme, implemented by the Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Aviation with financing from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and grant support from the European Union (EU).

Minister Jobeth Coleby-Davis also brought remarks at the event reiterating the country’s path of energy transformation. IDB Country Representative for The Bahamas Mrs. Shirley Gayle and Head of the Cooperation for the Delegation of the European Union Aniceto Rodreiguez Ruiz also addressed the gathering.

Chair of the Board of Trustees Allyson Maynard-Gibson, KC outlined the opportunity that the project presents for engaged learning. Maynard-Gibson spoke of students who are designing solar panels, building inverters and developing a prototype solar-powered aquaponics system, gaining practical experience alongside their academic studies.

“They are going beyond simply learning about energy systems. They are building them, testing them, and making them work. This matters because as well as the infrastructure, the transformation of our energy sector requires the talent to design it, install it, maintain it, and innovate.

“We need the technicians who will service these systems, the engineers who will develop the next iterations, and the policymakers who will know these technologies well enough to regulate them wisely. This is where UB’s mission of supporting and driving national development comes alive and the nation stands to benefit most,” she said.

Under the RRESB Programme, solar photovoltaic systems have also been installed at C.I. Gibson Senior High School, C.H. Reeves Junior High School and the Carmichael Road Post Office and Library. These projects build upon earlier installations at Doris Johnson Senior High School, T.G. Glover Primary School, C.V. Bethel Senior High School, the Elizabeth Estates Clinic and the Elizabeth Estates Post Office and Library. A rooftop solar installation is proposed for the headquarters for the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and resilient solar microgrids at Cooper’s Town, Abaco and High Rock, Grand Bahama.