Bermuda could see its first wind farm in the next three to five years.

And 20 percent of the Island's electricity will come from renewable sources in the next decade.

So predicts Vincent Ingham, the CEO of Belco's parent company Ascendant Group Limited.

His comments come as the electricity company awaits Planning approval for the installation of solar panels on the rooftop of its Serpentine Road headquarters.

If the plan gets the green light, the panels could be installed early next year.

Intended as a showcase for the capabilities of solar power, the panels would represent the largest commercial solar photovoltaic system Ascendant subsidiary PureEnergy has installed to date.

"We wanted to do a large solar rooftop installation, built on the existing space," Mr. Ingham said. "We will also be building a large solar thermal water heater.

"It will be, I think, a 58-kilowatt system, producing about five to ten percent of the energy requirements for our office.

"It allows us to have a system that we can study. This is critical, as it lets us be able to tell an owner what they can actually expect from a system like this.

"It also helps to demonstrate our commitment to renewable energy."

Belco was recently certified based on the design and implementation standards of its environmental management system. In order to maintain certification, the company is expected to continue to make improvements.

The company had been working to adopt renewable energy sources for several years, Mr. Ingham said.

"I believe there is a lot of interest in renewable energy. A lot of people want us to adopt more renewable energy and [want to see] a reduction in oil dependency, but there is a cost barrier. The initial cost is still quite high.

"I think it will be the same sort of thing that we saw in cell phones. Originally not many people could afford those, but the cost over time came down, and now everyone has one.

"A lot of work is going into the design of these products, and we think that as the price goes down and the efficiency increases, it will become easier for Bermuda to adopt the technology.

"Our view is that by 2020, 20 percent of our power will come from renewable sources."

In order to reach that goal, Mr. Ingham said he believed research into an offshore wind farm could soon begin.

"We would have to find a location, take readings for a year at that site, do studies for an environmental-impact statement, get Planning permission," he said. "There is a process we have to go through.

"If we are going to reach 20 percent by 2020 and I believe we could we might see some form of wind farm in the next three to five years."

As the price of solar thermal panels fall, more and more homes would adopt the technology, he added.

"We believe that it is very much a part of Bermuda's future. The question is how quickly.

"There is no reason why every home in Bermuda can't have some form of small scale renewable energy units."

Such equipment has already been installed at several sites throughout the Island.

While much of the Island was left without power following Hurricane Igor, Mr. Ingham said those households with solar panelling would have been able to have some basic comforts.

"During the storm there is wind and cloud cover but [the panels] can be very handy afterwards.

"After a storm, you might not be able to have your flat screen or your air conditioning, but there's no reason you can't have running water, hot water and some lights.

"That's the starting point for every system. The other thing is that every system we sell needs to be viable for the next 100 years. This can't be a one-shot thing."

The adoption of renewable energy is a big step for Bermuda's energy supplier and an important one, Mr. Ingham said.

"This technology is the future. It is coming, and we could either adapt and incorporate that or we would go the way of the dinosaurs."