Basseterre, St. Kitts (MoPIEUDT NEWS) – During the third day of the 2026 Budget Presentation on Thursday, December 18, 2025, the Minister of Public Infrastructure, Energy and Utilites, Domestic Transport, Information, Communications, Technology, and Post, Hon. Konris Maynard, affirmed that the energy transition is no longer a vision, but a reality.
“The energy transition is no longer aspirational: It is undeway. It is structured, it is financed, and it is advanced.”
-Hon. Konris Maynard
The Minister unveiled two new energy initiatives: DRIVE and SOLARISE.
In respect of policy, Minister Maynard introduced the Decarbonized Roadway Initiative for Vehicle Electrification (DRIVE) – an initiative spearheaded by the Energy Unit.
Speaking of its objectives, the Minister said:
“It establishes a clear national vision, it sets manageable objectives for EV adoption, it grounds policy in global best practice and local realities. It provides an actionable roadmap […] for implementation.”
The Minister also shared that Cabinet has approved incentives relative to electric and hybrid vehicles. Providing only general information, the Minister noted that additional details will be publicized during the program’s launch in January 2026, with implementation expected by the end of first quarter.
Minister Maynard also introduced the Solar Integration for Sustainable Energy Program (SOLARISE) that introduces small-scale renewable energy regulations, stating:
“What this means is, for the first time, citizens and residents will be incentivized to install rooftop solar systems and be fairly compensated for excess energy returned to the grid through a net billing mechanism.”
Highlighting key features of the program, the energy minister stated:
“The Solarize program also serves as a national operational framework for approval, installation, licensing, grid interconnection, and operation of small-scale solar photo-voltaic systems which may also incorporate battery energy storage systems.”
The proposed date of the program’s implementation is April 15, 2026.
Visit mopieudt.gov.kn and energyunit.gov.kn for additional information on these and other energy-related initiatives.
