(From left) Professor E Nigel Harris, Vice Chancellor, University of the West Indies (UWI) in conversation at the launch of the Promoting Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in Buildings project, with Professor Anthony Clayton; Dr Camille Bell-Hutchinson; Edu Hassing and Professor Tara Dasgupta

BUILDINGS which generate as much or more power than they consume.

That is the future for Jamaica

(From left) Professor E Nigel Harris, Vice Chancellor, University of the West Indies (UWI) in conversation at the launch of the Promoting Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in Buildings project, with Professor Anthony Clayton; Dr Camille Bell-Hutchinson; Edu Hassing and Professor Tara Dasgupta

BUILDINGS which generate as much or more power than they consume.

That is the future for Jamaica

Screen-Shot-2013-07-11-at-5.47.53-AM

A new Silicon Valley developer of thin film solar PV modules, backed by an Australian venture capitalist, has claimed an engineering breakthrough that could cut the manufacturing costs of PV modules by one third.

RSI has broken cover after five years of development to announce it has created a 1.5 square metre cadmium telluride PV (CdTe) module, twice the size of conventional modules.

It says this will enable solar PV modules to be manufactured at a cost of less than 40c/Watt, around one third cheaper than current mass-produced thin film and silicon based modules

ABSTRACT

Towards the Domestic Adoption of Wind and Solar Energy Technologies: Assessing Awareness, Knowledge, Attitudes and Predicting Householder Behaviour

Davina W. Gayle

This exploratory study assessed awareness and knowledge levels of Jamaican household heads, their attitude towards microgeneration technologies specifically wind turbines and solar panels, as well as the likelihood of them changing from conventional energy sources to renewable using these technologies.

The diffusion of innovations theory, theory of reasoned action and theory of planned behaviour formed the theoretical framework of the research.

Two hundred household heads living in urban and rural, lower to upper class neighbourhoods, with ages ranging 19 to 85, participated in a KAP survey. Respondents were selected based on a mix of quota, convenience and purposive nonprobability sampling.

The findings showed high awareness levels of microwind turbines and solar panels; low to moderate knowledge levels of these technologies and the renewable energy they generate; generally a favourable attitude towards both; and a modest percentage of household heads indicated the likelihood of installing a wind turbine or solar panel in the near future.

Further research is needed.

It is recommended that although some household heads may be willing to make the change from conventional energy sources to wind and solar powered using microgeneration technologies, intervention is needed from government and civil society, for there to be wide scale behaviour change.

Keywords: Davina W. Gayle; Wind and solar energy technologies; Jamaica

NB: This study was not commissioned by the JSEA, but was intended for the public domain, via organizations such as the JSEA, to help promote the use of Renerwable Energy in Jamaica

Full Document
http://jsea.org.jm/docs/Wind%20and%20Solar%20Energy%20Technology%20Adoption.pdf

Opposition spokesman on Industry, Commerce and Energy Gregory Mair is proposing that the administration make it mandatory for all government buildings to be fitted with solar photovoltaic systems.

“Every government building must have solar panels energising their lights, fans and other equipment. Not only will it bring savings in foreign exchange used by JPS to purchase fuel, but it will also reduce the electricity bills of Government and stimulate the growth of an industry of which Jamaica could become the Caribbean leader,” Mair pointed out during his contribution, last week, to the Sectoral Debate in Parliament.

He also wants the Government to introduce policy to make it compulsory for solar photovoltaic systems to be installed in government-related schemes.

“Let the Government drive demand in solar energy. If done properly, we could see an industry where we have solar photovoltaic panels and solar heating assembly plants exporting to the Caribbean and, by extension, the world,” he added.

Discussing how this project could become a reality, Mair said the Government should make the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) more efficient.

“As we are aware, the PCJ is funded by the one per cent commission earned from the sale of fuel to Petrojam. The PCJ does not require all this funding and the majority of it should be dedicated to building this industry. It is a win-win all around,” Mair explained.

Turning to the PetroCaribe agreement, Mair argued that Jamaica could pay for fuel purchased under this accord with goods made locally, not only manufactured items but also produce.

According to Mair, Article IV of the PetroCaribe agreement states, among other things, that, “With regard to deferred payments, Venezuela shall be able to accept that the partial payments be done with products, goods and/or services, previously agreed by the parties, based on preferential rates proposed by the Government of Jamaica.”

He noted that Venezuela imported a lot of products and Jamaica had failed to take advantage of this clause of the PetroCaribe deal.

“Our Government should meet with our counterparts in Venezuela, like many other countries have, and agree on the goods we will be selling them in exchange for their fuel. Once this is done, Government should encourage the establishment and expansion of the industries that will capitalise on this arrangement,” the opposition spokesman stated.

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Opposition spokesman on Industry, Commerce and Energy Gregory Mair is proposing that the administration make it mandatory for all government buildings to be fitted with solar photovoltaic systems.

“Every government building must have solar panels energising their lights, fans and other equipment. Not only will it bring savings in foreign exchange used by JPS to purchase fuel, but it will also reduce the electricity bills of Government and stimulate the growth of an industry of which Jamaica could become the Caribbean leader,” Mair pointed out during his contribution, last week, to the Sectoral Debate in Parliament.

He also wants the Government to introduce policy to make it compulsory for solar photovoltaic systems to be installed in government-related schemes.

“Let the Government drive demand in solar energy. If done properly, we could see an industry where we have solar photovoltaic panels and solar heating assembly plants exporting to the Caribbean and, by extension, the world,” he added.

Discussing how this project could become a reality, Mair said the Government should make the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) more efficient.

“As we are aware, the PCJ is funded by the one per cent commission earned from the sale of fuel to Petrojam. The PCJ does not require all this funding and the majority of it should be dedicated to building this industry. It is a win-win all around,” Mair explained.

Turning to the PetroCaribe agreement, Mair argued that Jamaica could pay for fuel purchased under this accord with goods made locally, not only manufactured items but also produce.

According to Mair, Article IV of the PetroCaribe agreement states, among other things, that, “With regard to deferred payments, Venezuela shall be able to accept that the partial payments be done with products, goods and/or services, previously agreed by the parties, based on preferential rates proposed by the Government of Jamaica.”

He noted that Venezuela imported a lot of products and Jamaica had failed to take advantage of this clause of the PetroCaribe deal.

“Our Government should meet with our counterparts in Venezuela, like many other countries have, and agree on the goods we will be selling them in exchange for their fuel. Once this is done, Government should encourage the establishment and expansion of the industries that will capitalise on this arrangement,” the opposition spokesman stated.

Read more: