jamaica Archives - Page 40 of 79

Energy Solutions – Speed As A Competitive Advantage

December 7, 2012 Webmaster

Aubyn Hill, Financial Gleaner Columnist

THIS WEEK, Blue Energy, a British company, announced that it will build Africa’s largest solar power plant in Ghana. By the time it is completed in 2015, the 155-megawatt facility will be the fourth-largest power plant in the world and is expected to supply 20 per cent of the Ghanaian government’s target of generating 10 per cent of electricity from renewable sources by 2020.

Apart from being the second-largest producer and exporter of cocoa in the world, Ghana is a significant producer of oil and, in March, Tullow Oil of London stated that an oilfield it found off the coast was a major find. Still, Ghana has made it easy for this US$400-million investment in solar energy to go ahead. The Nzema project will be situated on 183-hectares (about 403 acres) of land in western Ghana. The Ghanaian government has given the investor a100-year lease, as well as planning and connection permission to the 161kV West African Power Pool transmission line, which links Ghana to the Ivory Coast, Togo, Benin and Nigeria.

Int’l investors responded swiftly

The CEO of Blue Energy, Chris Dean, speaking to the

Electricity

Fundamentals of Electricity

December 7, 2012 jrobinson

In this instillation of our weekly newsletter blast out, we have decided to explain the energy grid system to you our readers. Through this newsletter we hope to help our readers and clients to better understand energy and how it works.

Delivery system:
As electrical energy is generated, it is transformed and transported instantaneously through a network of wires, substations, and transformers to the consumer. Electricity is generated at a comparatively low voltage at most generating stations. In order to transport this energy great distances, the voltage has to be increased, or stepped up.

Generating:
The generation of electricity is most commonly achieved by converting

Electricity

Fundamentals of Electricity

December 7, 2012 Webmaster

In this instillation of our weekly newsletter blast out, we have decided to explain the energy grid system to you our readers. Through this newsletter we hope to help our readers and clients to better understand energy and how it works.

Delivery system:
As electrical energy is generated, it is transformed and transported instantaneously through a network of wires, substations, and transformers to the consumer. Electricity is generated at a comparatively low voltage at most generating stations. In order to transport this energy great distances, the voltage has to be increased, or stepped up.

Generating:
The generation of electricity is most commonly achieved by converting

Alternative Energy JPS News

JPS begins work for Maggoty power plant

December 7, 2012 Webmaster

The Jamaica Public Service Company, JPS, says preparatory work has started on the construction of the second Maggotty Hydroelectric Power Plant.

The plant is expected to add six megawatts to the national grid upon completion in November next year.

A statement from the power company says 30 jobs have so far been created with this number expected to increase as the project continues.

JPS has committed US$33 million to the building of the new plant

Government News

CURE RESPONDS TO OUR STATEMENT ON TERMINATING UNSOLICITED RENEWABLE BASED ELECTRICITY GENERATION

December 7, 2012 jrobinson

The response from the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) to

JPS News

OUR Responds To CURE Concerns

December 7, 2012 jrobinson

Small generators of renewable based electricity are being assured that they can still use the Jamaica Public Service Standard Offer Contract procedure to apply to sell electricity to the Jamaica Public Service (JPS).

This reassurance comes from the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR), which published a notice two days ago, announcing the suspension of the non-competitive process for the generation of renewable based electricity.

OUR

Alternative Energy Government News

Hurricane Reinforces Need for Alternative Energy Solutions

December 6, 2012 Webmaster

Some Jamaicans and persons in the wider Caribbean and the Eastern United States are still picking up the pieces, following the passage of Hurricane Sandy in

Government JPS News

CURE Says OUR Has Questions To Answer

December 6, 2012 Webmaster

Charlene Stuart, Senior Staff Reporter

Lobby group, Citizens United to Reduce the cost of Electricity (CURE), wants the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR), to say why it is suspending the non-competitive process for the generation of renewable based electricity.

The electricity generated would be sold to the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS).

The OUR made the announcement yesterday in a paid advertisement, indicating that the new measures take immediate effect.

The OUR has suspended the processing of non-competitive proposals for the generation of up to 25 megawatts of electricity from renewable energy sources.

The OUR said the suspension will remain until the completion of a competitive tender exercise to procure up to 115 mega Watts of power.

CURE

Government News

Mining Minister Confident Alpart will Re-Open Soon

November 30, 2012 Webmaster

Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Phillip Paulwell

Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Phillip Paulwell, says he is confident that the Alpart bauxite and alumina plant at Nain, in St Elizabeth, will re-open soon, as discussions with U C Rusal, the majority share- holders and operators of the plant, are going well.

Addressing a Rural Electrification Programme (REP) lighting ceremony, in Powell Town, Southfield, St. Elizabeth, on November 28, the Minister said the latest round of discussions with representatives of U C Rusal took place on November 27, and that another is scheduled for the near future.

“We have to get Alpart re-opened, we have to get our bauxite/alumina back to where it was, and we have to get employment going. I have said to the representatives of UC Rusal, what you have there is precious to us, you have good reserves, and we cannot afford to keep the place locked down,” he said.

The parish of St. Elizabeth has been affected economically, since the closure of the processing plant in 2009.

Mr. Paulwell emphasised that before the end of this year, a date and schedule for the re-opening of the plant must be established.

Government LNG News

Energy Stakeholders Discuss Natural Gas

November 30, 2012 jrobinson

State Minister in the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Julian Robinson (2nd right), examines information in a resource document November 28, 2012 opening of a two-day energy workshop at the Knutsford Court Hotel in New Kingston. Also looking at the document are (from left): Principal Director of the Energy Division in the Ministry, Fitzroy Vidal; Facilitator, Dr. Yvonne Barton; and Edgar Wiggins, also from the Ministry.

The Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining (MSTEM), has brought together stakeholders from a wide cross section of public and private sector agencies, to participate in discussions on the introduction of natural gas as a means of diversifying Jamaica