The following is a continuation of the post: "Jamaica's Alternative Energy Initiatives (Part 1)", first published on November 15,2010:
Let's continue!
3)The NHT has, for over the past two (2) years, been lending householders money for them to solarize their houses. That is, to use solar energy as their sole source of electricity.
The arrangement is that the NHT would loan the householder the average JMD $1 millon (US $11,682.20) it would take to buy and install the solar panel and associated equipment in their homes and then give them up to 15 years to pay back the money with interest.
Unfortunately just under 3% of the 700,000 Jamaican households run on at least 70% solar energy.
4)There are now Independent Energy Producers (IPPs) that produce energy from renewable sources, then sell the excess energy to Jamaica Public Service (JPS/the grid).
Unfortunately:
a)The JPS, the monopoly provider of electricity on island, compensates these IPPs less than market rate for the energy they produce.
This acts as a disincentive for these IPPs, who only continue to produce this energy because:
i) This represents a cost saving to them/their operations
ii) They live in hope that the Jamaican government will intervene and force JPS to pay them at market rate or will introduce competition in the electricity market, whereby they would gain a better price for the excess energy produced.
(However due to contractual obligations between the Jamaican government and the JPS, this will not happen soon...no Jamaican government has had the testicular fortitude, so far, to break this contract for fear that investors will view this as the norm for foreign direct investment agreements in Jamaica).
5) Since 2007, E10 energy, (petrol comprised of 10% ethanol and 90% gas) has been made available for Jamaicans whose cars run on petrol.
E10 was estimated in 2008, to have saved Jamaica US $92 million on her energy bill. However, despite the adoption of E10 by at least 150,000 of the 400,000 Jamaican car owners, some other car owners have refused to go the E10 route, due to the decreased performance of E10, in the engines of some cars.
6) According to Robert "Bobby" Montague - Minister of State in the Ministry of Local Government, in an interview with Carol Narcisse and Naomi Francis on This Morning on Nationwide Radio on October 29, there is a gentleman by the name of Mr. Walker who is using water to run cars by splitting the water into its component elements- hydrogen and oxygen.
The hydrogen is used to fuel the car engine, whilst the oxygen is used by the car's air filter to run cars and vehicles at the NSWMA.
(Picture of Sydney's first biodiesel station).
Mr. Walker has modified a few of the vehicles at National Solid Waste and Emergency Management (NSWMA) to use biodiesel.
This has enabled that government agency to realize a 20% reduction in energy costs.
(Mr. Walker uses the oil waste from restaurants and fast food restaurants and converts it to biodiesel - a cleaner and cheaper fuel).
His operations have become so successful that private people are now patronizing him and competing with the NSWMA as users of the biodiesel, hence the reason for the short supply of this alternative fuel in Jamaica.
Mr. Montague says that the NSWMA is currently investigating the energy gains to be had from 25%, 50% and 75% replacement of oil-run engines by biodiesel-run engines.
7) In the same vein, the landfill at Riverton City - the largest dump on island, has now been levelled and the waste (including waste oil) that is carried there from across the city being converted into energy.
So says NSWMA Director- Mrs. Joan Gordon-Webley, in an interview by Dervan Malcolm - from Both Sides of Story on Power 106 FM, on October 28.
8) For the past six (6) years the Wigton Wind Farm has been providing Jamaica with wind energy. The capacity of this wind farm is 20.7 Mega Watts(MW) of power (approx 6% of Jamaica's total energy needs), but only produces on average, 7 MW...which is sold to the JPS.
Since December 1995, Munroe College, a high school in the parish of Manchester, Jamaica, has operated a JPS-commissioned Wind Farm that has provided 227kW of energy back to JPS (the grid).
9) If the Minister of Energy and Mining - the Honorable James Robertson, has his way, all government-owned/run institutions will be providing their own means of energy.
He is currently working with the Cornwall Regional Hospital in the parish of St. James, at solarizing that institution, so as to decrease its electricity bill: approximately JMD $125 million, annually.
(20% of costs of running the insititution are utility costs and he wants to substantially reduce this).
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As can be seen from the above examples, there are a substantive number of alternative energy initiatives on island.
What needs to happen is that these initiatives be strategically interwoven into the National Energy Policy for 2009-2030. This would imply that they be scaled up, properly coordinated and commercialized, so as to substaintially replace Jamaica's need for oil-based energy.
The aim for 70% diversification of our energy supply by 2030, is not only unambitious,it shows a lack of vision by the Jamaican government.
Should we follow this unambitious goal, we will continue to be slaves to oil-based energy for the next 10-20 years and continue to have a large Balance of Payment deficit (where our import bill is higher than our export bill), as a result.
This situation is totally unacceptable if Jamaican-made products and services are to be competitive, globally.
We cannot be globally competitive if at least 30% of costs of manufacturing Jamaican goods and services is attributable to electricity costs.
(I would like to thank:
1. camTrails for the use of his Flickr photo entitled "Wind Energy"
2. Yewenyi for the use of his Flickr photo of Sydney (Australia) first biodiesel station).
Gillian
Sources Include
1) Article, "Jamaica Trade, Exports, Imports", EconomyWatch.com, accessed November 13,2010
2) Overview - Vision 2030 Jamaica - National Development Plan, accessed, November 11,2010
3) Article, "Jamaica -Energy and Power", NationsEncyclopedia.com, accessed November 11,2010
4a) STATIN Table: Table, "Imports by SITC Sections (US $'000) Last Updated October 14,2010" ,accessed November 11,2010
4b) STATIN Table: Table, "Exports by SITC Sections (US $'000) Last Updated October 14,2010", accessed November 11,2010
5) Webpage PCJ E10 FAQs, via PCJ.com, accessed November 7, 2010
6) Television Jamaica, Prime Time News at 7:00 p.m., October 28,2010
7) Article, "Internet penetration lagging broadband speed" by Camillo Thame, Business Coordinator- JamaicaObserver.com, September 22,2010
8) Policy Draft: National Energy-from-Waste Policy 2010-2030, Ministry of Energy and Mining, Jamaica, August, 2010
9) Document, "National Energy Policy 2009-2030", Ministry of Energy and Mining, August 26,2010
10) Article, "Jamaica gets help to Develop Biofuel Industry" JIS, May 9,2010
11) Article, "ATL Autohaus brings the best of German motoring to Jamaica",February 28,2010
12) Article,"BIO-FUELS TASK FORCE HOLDS FIRST MEETING ", Ministry of Energy and Mining, November 26,2008
13) Article, "E10 Blend Projected to Save Jamaica US$92 Million on Fuel Imports", JIS, November 5,2008
14) Article,"NHT to give $1m solar panel loan", by Richard Morais - Gleaner Writer via Jamaica-Gleaner.com, July 25,2008
15) Article,"Solar NGO Flays NHT Energy Loan", JamaicaGleaner.com, July 18,2010
16) Article, "A trade war over patties?" by Anthony Wilson, Trinidad Guardian, June 11,2008
17) Journal article, "Wind energy development in the Caribbean",Volume 24, Issues 3-4 , November 2001, Pages 439-444, Renewable Energy
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