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The planned stadiums look stunning but searing summer heat requires a complex cooling system [GETTY]
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Debbie-Ann Wright, News Editor – Radio The National Water Commission (NWC) is advising that frequent fluctuations in the power supply to the Tulloch Springs/Rio Cobre Water Supply System is affecting service to customers in Kingston, St Andrew and St Catherine. The company says the power supply interruptions have worsened the impact of the prolonged drought. It says the mechanical failure at one of the sources has resulted in a shortfall of more than 3 million gallons of water each day on the Tulloch Springs/Rio Cobre Water Supply System. It says some customers in Kingston, St Andrew and St Catherine either have no water, intermittent supply or are experiencing low water pressure. The areas affected include sections of Portmore, downtown Kingston, communities off Washington Boulevard, Molynes Road, and Spanish Town Road. The NWC says the problem has been reported to the Jamaica Public Service and work is being done to return to normal operation in the shortest possible time. Read more:
CARICOM — —————————- This is a Summary of the CARICOM Energy Policy which was approved by the Forty-First The Goal/ Vision of the CARICOM Energy Policy Fundamental transformation of the energy sectors of the Member States of the Community through the provision of secure and sustainable supplies of energy in a manner which minimizes energy waste in all sectors, to ensure that all CARICOM citizens have access to modern, clean and reliable energy supplies at affordable and stable prices, and to facilitate the growth of internationally competitive Regional industries towards achieving sustainable development of the Community OBJECTIVES OF CARICOM ENERGY POLICY In fulfillment of the Goal /Vision of the CARICOM Energy Policy and to assure access to (a) sustainable and secure energy supplies through diversification of energy sources; Quantitative Regional level targets for sustainable energy will be established in the context of the Caribbean Sustainable Energy Roadmap and Strategy (C-SERMS), based on rationalization of the potential energy resources and human and institutional capacity which will accompany the CEP and provide a implementation framework engaging all Member State and actors in the energy sector. SUMMARY OF BROAD CARICOM ENERGY POLICY ACTIONS In order to realize the Goal/Vision for the energy sector of the Community, it is the Policy of CARICOM to: SECURITY OF SUPPLY AND FUEL DIVERSIFICATION (Chapter 1) 1. Ensure increased energy security through timely access to adequate, reliable and EXPLOITATION OF HYDROCARBON SOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT OF FOSSIL FUEL MARKETS 2. Secure least cost hydrocarbon resources for each Member State and ensure that RENEWABLE ENERGY (Chapter 3) 3. Diversify the energy sources through increased use of renewable energy in a manner ELECTRICITY SECTOR (Chapter 4) 4. Ensure the sustainability of the electricity sector through increased use of renewable ENERGY CONSERVATION AND EFFICIENCY (Chapter 5) 5. Promote energy savings efforts in all sectors ENERGY USE FOR TRANSPORTATION (Chapter 6) 6. Promote fuel switching in the transportation sector to cleaner energy sources and ENERGY INVESTMENT (Chapter 7) 7. Undertake the necessary reforms in a timely manner to encourage greater investment INTRA-COMMUNITY TRADE IN HYDROCARBON ENERGY SOURCES (Chapter 8) 8. Ensure fair pricing and access to hydrocarbon resources by all Member States to ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT (Chapter 9) 9. Ensure that energy is supplied and consumed in a manner that creates minimal ENHANCEMENT OF HUMAN AND INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY (Chapter 10) 10. Build and strengthen the human capacity and skills as well as institutional capacity ENERGY ACCESS AND POVERTY ALLEVIATION (Chapter 11) 11. Eliminate energy poverty and ensure access to clean, affordable and reliable energy CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES (Chapter 12) 12. Encourage sustainable energy practices within all other sectors and areas where there ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE (Chapter 13) 13. Establish regional and national targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions ENERGY AND DISASTER PREPAREDNESS (Chapter 14) 14. Develop strategies to ensure the availability of energy supplies and products and a TRADE IN ENERGY SERVICES (Chapter 15) 15. Develop strategies to take advantage of opportunities for trade in energy services PRINCIPLES GUIDING ACTIONS OUTLINED IN THE CARICOM ENERGY POLICY The CARICOM Energy Policy is guided by the following: 1. Community Mandates on Energy and Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas;
JPS ripping us off again? In the recent JPS Annual Tariff Adjustment Page 19 Technical Losses states: “The T&D system configuration and voltage levels are critical to determining the actual Increasing the voltage WILL increase your electricity consumption and in effect your JPS Most other countries practice something called “Conservation Voltage Reduction (CVR)” in The JPS nominal voltage should be 110vac or 220vac for rate 10 customers (residential) I typically measure between 115vac to 125vac and many days close to 128vac, or 4.5% to Ever wonder why your motors and electrical equipment run hotter or burn up quicker? Studies have shown 1% voltage change can yield a 0.6% change in consumption, or 2.7% to Is this there the 10% technical loss reduction will come from? Building a sub-station will cost money. money from every customer. Where is the OUR? more to come… THE JAMAICA PUBLIC SERVICE CO. LTD. ANNUAL TARIFF ADJUSTMENT SUBMISSION FOR 2013 http://www.myjpsco.com/_pdfs/ http://www.jsea.org.jm/docs/ 
APPLIANCE Traders Limited (ATL) has expanded into the alternative energy business. ATL Energy Solutions will add solar water heaters, photovoltaic panels and other devices for revewable power to the appliance retailers energy-efficient product line.
The division will also provide technical consultancy on assessing, designing and implementing scalable energy-saving solutions for businesses and homes. “We want to demystify the alternative energy space for our customers making it easier for them to determine the best path to reducing their energy consumption,” said Paul Grey, ATL’s energy and engineering manager. The introduction of the industrial giant’s new division comes after months of extensive research and analysis of global alternative energy providers to identify the best solutions for the Jamaican market according to the division head. “Record energy prices in Jamaica as well as in the international marketplace have heightened the need for sustainable alternatives. Expanding into the energy business is a natural progression for ATL given our history of providing advanced engineering and industrial solutions for major projects in Jamaica and the Caribbean,” said Grey. “Our mandate with ATL Energy Solutions is to provide our customers with a comprehensive resource centre to assess, design, implement, and service energy-saving technology and equipment that will reduce consumption patterns and ultimately energy receipts.” ATL already has solid footing in the alternative energy space executing a joint $8.6-million initiative with eco-innovation leaders Panasonic. The project saw the construction of a prototype eco-villa at Sandals Montego Bay, the first of its kind in Jamaica. The luxury suites are fully powered by Panasonic’s photovoltaic systems as well utilise all inverter appliances and electronics. Additionally, the company inked an exclusive arrangement with leading Israeli solar technology company Nimrod Industries Limited to distribute its solar water heaters as well as implemented its own Eco-Smart seal to earmark ‘green’ electronics in its product line-up. “We are at a transformational period in the Jamaican energy sector that requires us to either heavily curb our existing consumption patterns or look to alternative sources of power,” said Grey. “Our strategic partnerships enable us to offer a gamut of solutions across a range of applications for both our commercial and residential customers. From LED light bulbs which can last over 50,000 hours to solar photovoltaic (PV) panels which can last up to 25 years or even inverter appliances which save up to 60 per cent on power bills, we have solutions for the energy-mindful consumer.” ATL also provides detailed energy audits from which customers can readily evaluate their savings.
WITH electricity rates at an all time high in Jamaica, the domestic solar energy market appears to be gaining momentum. “The last year has been fantastic, and the reason for that is that finally we are getting more and more of an environment where people see energy prices going up and don’t see anything changing very rapidly,” said Maikel Oerbekke, principal of Renewable Energy Developers (RED), a Montego Bay-based company that develops and implements solar energy projects primarily for commercial clients.
RED, which specialises in solar photovoltaic (PV) technology from German total system company Schuco, and solar cooling and solar process heating plants from Austrian solar engineering firm SOLID, lists Jamaica Broilers Group and telecommunications giant Digicel among its customers. Oerbekke, speaking with the Business Observer on Monday at the Jamaica Alternative Energy Expo hosted by the US Solar Institute at the Pegasus hotel, reasoned that locals now more than ever feel “strangled” by the electricity prices of monopoly provider Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS), which recently applied to the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) for a 10 per cent increase on reconnection fees. “People are saying ‘we have our backs against the wall and we need to do something now’,” he said, explaining the growing interest in solar energy as attendees crowded the expo to view and gather information on some of the latest systems. RED has done more than US$3 million ($297 million) worth of projects in the last nine months, revealed Oerbekke. Its biggest project to date has been the solar PV and solar cooling system it did for Digicel at the telecoms’ new downtown Kingston headquarters, he said. In anticipation of growing clientele, RED is awaiting approval from the St James Parish Council to construct a 3,000-square-foot showroom and administrative building in Montego Bay that can stock around 1,500 panels. “So, we will be even more faster and flexible,” said Oerbekke, noting that “A third of the building will be a showroom and the building will be completely powered by solar.” Indeed, the Jamaican solar market has evolved dramatically over the last decade, said Damian Lyn, the managing director at Alternative Power Sources, one of the pioneers in the industry. “When we started 10 years ago, we were told the company would not survive; it had just cost too much to install a system,” said Lyn. “But we stuck with it and it has gone strength by strength overtime.” Lyn, a former president of the Jamaica Solar Energy Association, said a huge drop in solar panel prices over the years has been a major catalyst behind the industry’s boom. “When we started in business, we were selling at US$7.50 a watt, now we are below US$1.50 a watt,” said Lyn. Furthermore, Lyn said Jamaicans are way more educated now about solar than they were in the early 2000s. “They understand the difference between solar water heaters and PV systems etc, and the savings that they can have,” he said. Jamaica has an abundance of sunshine, an average of 3,000 hours a year in Kingston, although that falls by a quarter in more mountainous parts of the island, which tend to have heavier cloud cover. Photovoltaic power generation uses solar panels composed of a number of solar cells containing a photovoltaic material. Photovoltaic cells convert sunlight into electrical energy, which is subsequently stored in a bank of batteries. Rooftop panels, which could last for 25 to 30 years, will now pay for themselves in as low as four years, said Lyn, noting that the pay back for a battery-based system is six to eight years, and four to five years for one that is grid tied. Until recently, the pay-back period was up to 20 years. Some say that changes to the regulatory framework has also had a positive impact on the uptake of solar power, with solar electric customers now able to offset their costs by selling back to the JPS, following the implementation of net billing last year. Net billing customers are paid the avoided cost of generation for the electricity JPS purchases, as well as up to a 15 per cent premium on that price. Meanwhile, several organisations and businesses have switched to solar power, including Sandals Resorts International, which announced in November 2011 that it had teamed up with Panasonic to launch the region’s first ecovillage hotels. The company hopes to turn a profit on its investment in seven to eight years, said its CEO, Adam Stewart. What’s more, GraceKennedy subsidiary Dairy Industries is reportedly going with a 60-kilowatt solar system shortly and Lyn himself is currently installing a 100 kw system for the American International School of Kingston. Still, the Alternative Power Sources boss said he hopes to see more corporate entities getting involved in solar energy. “A lot are still sceptical. I think, on the corporate end, they still don’t fully understand the paybacks, while the residential person who feels it more, knows it,” he said. Against that background, Lyn feels the residential market
As customers contend with the increasing cost of energy bill, they may often ask what their alternatives are. But before you even consider costly renewable energy systems, you should first adopt a conservation approach.
Coming off the grid isn’t merely about divorcing the company that supplies your power and charges you on a monthly basis. It’s more than that; it’s about cheaper means of supplying and using power. “If you are not one to maximise the energy saving opportunities, producing power on your own, and getting off the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) grid won’t save you money,” said Nathan Parkins, design technician at Alternative Power Sources. Renewable energy systems are designed to match your current consumption, that is the more you consume, the bigger and more costly your system will have to be. “If you don’t conserve, you could very well end up spending $5 million on a system when you could have had one for $3 million,” he said. Some energy savings opportunities are free. Turning off lights that aren’t in use may sound like the usual energy savings lecture, but if you aren’t flicking the switch, you are increasing wastage. Lights on during the daylight hours, are obviously wasteful. Then there are some suggestions that would require you to spend a little extra cash. Equipment that trap heat and in turn pass it on to you, without electricity, are an option. Opt for solar water heater over electric water heater, Parkins advised. “We pay so much to use the electricity to get hot water, yet we have the sun,” he said. “I can safely say solar water heater can shave 15 per cent off your light bill.” Checks by the Sunday Finance found that the National Housing Trust (NHT) offers loans to for solar water heaters to existing mortgagers with a maximum funding of $250,000. But, if you have already got a loan from the NHT, you would have to wait 10 years before you can access the maximum $1.5 million funding for solar panels. Nonetheless, there are some less pricey options, which are common to most households. People with up-to-date energy style appliances will use less power than those without. So, if you are not too sentimental, you could think about doing away with your 30 year old refrigerator and cash in on a newer model. Gas stoves get the energy savings nod of approval rather than an electric stove. Overtime, old appliances lose efficiency and consume more power. You could even place a timer on your refrigerator that shuts it off after a number of hours. The average fridge runs 11 hours per day. In addition, you should repair loose magnetic rubbers of the refrigerator door, it allows the cool air to leave, using up more power. Don’t keep your fridge too close to the wall, the heat coil at the back needs enough room for sufficient circulation. As for lighting, there’s LED. Though this is more expensive to buy than fluorescent bulbs, switching could reduce your power usage by 50 per cent. But, Parkins said this is most necessary for businesses that need the use of light for longer periods. Do you think the time has come to getting power on your own? Well, Parkins crunched the numbers for the Sunday Finance. According to him, a household user who spends on average of $4,500 per month wouldn’t spend roughly half a million dollars on alternative energy. As for the average Jamaican household that he said spends on average $12,000 per month, they can get an alternative system for $2 million. What’s more, you don’t have to completely abandon the JPS, you could opt to make a particular room solar. Read more:
CHIEF Executive Officer (CEO) of Jamaica’s PetroCaribe Development Fund (PDF) Dr Wesley Hughes has said that even a facile victory by
THE EDITOR, Sir: I would like to condemn the recent theft of the 53 batteries from the solar-lighting system along the Highway 2000 corridor. The solar-powered lights are the latest state-of-the-art upgrade that was introduced to help reduce Jamaica’s cost of generating electricity. The wholesale theft of these solar batteries is a handicap to modernisation in Jamaica. I propose that going forward: 1. The Government should explore purchasing units that don’t stick out as solar-powered lights. 2. They should not publicise the installation of additional units. 3. If possible, they should embed tracking devices within these units to trace them if they are stolen. 4. Provide effective police patrol in areas where these lights are installed. 5. In addition, the courts should throw the book at anyone caught and convicted of stealing these batteries to send a strong message that this will not be tolerated. We can deter future theft of these energy-saving units, which Jamaica desperately needs to help wean ourselves off of petroleum addiction. PATRICK CALLUM patrickcallum@yahoo.com Read more: KINGSTON, Jamaica – Despite the continued devaluation of the Jamaican dollar, Jamaica Public Service (JPS) customers will see an average of five per cent reduction in their electricity bills for April, the power company says.
The decrease, JPS says, is due to a reduction in the cost of the fuel used to generate electricity. JPS explained that each month the fuel charge on electricity bills changes, depending on the cost of the oil used to produce electricity. The Fuel & IPP Cost on bills for April is $24.35 per kWh, compared to the charge of $26.54 per kWh applied to March bills. This means that residential customers who consistently use 200 kWh will be paying about $400 less for his bill this month, compared to what was paid last month, JPS said in a release Friday. This customer will pay $7,518 for the 200 kWh of electricity used, as against the $7,918.55 that was paid in March for the same usage. Read more: |