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Tag: LED lamp

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News

ATL expands into alternative energy

April 17, 2013

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.

Shani Duncan (right), business development manager of energy solutions at Appliance Traders Limited (ATL), shares some literature on energy efficiency with State Minister for Science, Technology, Energy and Mining Julian Robinson (left) at the Jamaica Alternative Energy Expo held at the Pegasus on Monday.

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.

News

ATL expands into alternative energy

April 17, 2013

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.

Shani Duncan (right), business development manager of energy solutions at Appliance Traders Limited (ATL), shares some literature on energy efficiency with State Minister for Science, Technology, Energy and Mining Julian Robinson (left) at the Jamaica Alternative Energy Expo held at the Pegasus on Monday.

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.

Alternative Energy Electricity

How to Choose an LED Light Bulb

March 11, 2013

 

There are now many general-purpose consumer LED bulbs that give off good light. With so many, how can you tell the difference?

After years of work, LED lighting company have finally achieved their goal of producing a good replacement for the common 60-watt incandescent bulb.

Cree earlier this week released a bulb that mimics the light and shape of the conventional incandescent with aggressive pricing, ranging from just under $10 for a 40-watt equivalent to just under $14 for a 60-watt equivalent. (See,

Alternative Energy Government News

PCJ undertakes energy efficiency upgrades at three public facilities

March 11, 2013

THE Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) has undertaken a $5.6-million upgrade of the lighting facilities at the May Pen and Spanish Town hospitals and the Jamaica Police Convalescent Centre, in its bid to help reduce the public sector‘s energy bill.

The three institutions are the latest to benefit from a PCJ programme that facilitates the increased use of energy-efficiency technology by public sector entities.

Government JPS News

Double Up, Double Charge!

December 11, 2012

JPS bills councils separately for LED lamps

Disconnects when payments aren’t made

Erica Virtue, Senior Gleaner Writer

A practice by the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) to charge parish councils separately for light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs on roadways is infuriating councils, which claim that light is being disconnected from major thoroughfares.

The JPS has disconnected electricity on Ocean Boulevard, forcing the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) to hoist high voltage bright lights atop its building to provide light for the area.

The same is true for the busy and accident-prone Marcus Garvey Drive, as light has been disconnected for non-payment of bills, even though the JPS still bills the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (KSAC) $58 million monthly.

Last Wednesday, Town Clerk Errol Green said the KSAC has been examining different technologies to reduce the amount it pays to the JPS.

As part of that trend, all new roads in the municipality have been outfitted with low sodium bulbs.

“Even as I speak to you, the JPS has disconnected the light along Ocean Boulevard and along Marcus Garvey Drive. There are no lights there,” charged Green.

Ocean Boulevard bill

According to the town clerk, the UDC is responsible for the lights along Ocean Boulevard, but it is unfair for the JPS to ask the state entity to pay that bill when it already receives payment from the KSAC for streetlights.

Green said it was the view of some councils that the JPS was resisting efforts to use lower wattage bulbs across the system.

“At nights, the UDC has had to put up some bright bulbs on top of its buildings to provide light for the area, because the JPS has disconnected it,” claimed Green.

He said the bulbs on Ocean Boulevard were regular bulbs and not LED bulbs.

In the case of Marcus Garvey Drive along the dualised area near Tinson Pen aerodrome, the streetlights have been disconnected.

“There are no lights there, even though they still bill us. But those are more efficient bulbs that have been included,” said Green.

In defence of its actions, JPS said LED bulbs were not in the system at the time the rate approval was granted by the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) and it is hoping to develop a specific rate for these bulbs.

Corporate relations manager at the JPS, Winsome Callum, said LED lamps account for less than 0.5 per cent of the total number of streetlights in the system and as a consequence the overall impact on bills would not be significant.

In the case of the disconnected sections of Washington Boulevard along the new stretch of road, Callum said: “During the period when the LED streetlights were in the name of the subcontractor no payment was made which resulted in disconnection,”

However the KSAC has rubbished the claims.

According to Green, the KSAC is billed separately for that stretch as the subcontractor was forced to take, a contract in his name as “that was the only way light would have been provided”.

According to Callum the JPS is moving to clarify the issue of the LED bulbs.

“The long-term plan is to have standardise LED streetlights across the system. The JPS is therefore now developing rates specific to LED lamps for consideration and approval by the OUR at the next rate review.”

erica.virtue@gleanerjm.com

Read more:

News Oil

Powering A Light Bulb

April 23, 2012

 

 

 

The following question was asked recently by a concerned citizen.

How many litres of oil would be needed to run a 100-watt electric bulb consistently for one year? Similarly, how many kg of coal to accomplish the same thing?

On the surface of it, the answer could be calculated by any reasonably smart high-school physics student. We suspect however, given the source of the question, what was being sought was a deeper, more fundamental answer that goes to the core of the energy crisis that Jamaica now faces.

So, first, here’s the easy part. A barrel of oil, often referred to as barrel of oil equivalent (BOE) contains approximately 1.7 MWh of energy. Generation plants in the current JPS system extract approximately 35 per cent of the energy content of a barrel of oil (measured by the average heat rate) and convert it into electricity.

Transmission and distribution losses take away another 23 per cent of this energy before it gets to the customer’s premises. The light bulb ends up receiving 27 per cent (0.46 MWh) of the energy from the barrel of oil. Burning a 100W incandescent bulb for 24 hours a day and 365 days a year (not advisable) requires 876 KWh of energy (roughly equivalent to half-barrel of oil).

Very inefficient

Incidentally, the typical 100W incandescent bulb is very inefficient, converting less than 20 per cent of the energy consumed into visible light, the rest being dissipated as heat so that the amount of useful energy consumed from the barrel of oil in this scenario is really only five per cent.

Nevertheless, the initial answer to our question is that given the current inefficiencies in the electricity production and distribution system, it requires just about two barrels of oil to keep the light bulb burning continuously for a year.

This calculation holds whether the fuel source is oil, gas or coal. It will take 396 kg of coal and 333 litres of LNG to keep the light bulb burning for one year.

Using nominal trading prices for each fuel type indicates the relative costs. So, hypothetically speaking, all other things being equal (of course they’re not but the simplification suits the exercise), using LNG instead of oil would cost roughly half the amount to burn the light bulb, and using coal would be about 1/7th the cost.

The earlier analysis indicates that regardless of fuel, the Jamaican electricity production and distribution system only delivers approximately 27 per cent of the fuel purchased to the end consumer.

Consumers with poor energy conservation practices such as continuously burning incandescent bulbs, or inefficient building air-conditioning systems, contribute further to this energy waste. Jamaica’s oil bill in 2010 was 122 per cent of all export earnings.

A significant percentage of this oil bill is used to produce electricity and, on average, we waste 73 per cent of this costly commodity in delivering electricity to consumers.

What is even more perverse about this situation is the well-known fuel pass-through clause in the electricity tariff structure that requires the consumer to pay for the cost of fuel, regardless of how inefficient the procurement or conversion processes become. Is there a better way? Is there a model of electricity production and delivery that can begin to seriously impact on this seemingly perpetual, but clearly unsustainable situation.

Fundamental conversation needed

While the predominant local energy debates about LNG versus coal, and fuel diversity, are important issues; getting Jamaican industry to a competitive 10-15 US cents/KWh will require a more fundamental conversation about the structure of the industry and the way that usable energy is extracted from a barrel of oil or a tonne of coal.

We believe that there is a different industry model that could potentially suit small island states like Jamaica.

A model that takes advantage of new- generation technologies and more efficient industrial structures capable of delivering electricity at lower cost. A model that can extract more usable energy from the barrel of oil, the litre of LNG or the kg of coal to burn the light bulb while running the air conditioning and the water heater.

We believe such a model of electricity sector reform could potentially impact many of the prevailing issues and concerns currently being contemplated, such as:

  • providing more competitive industrial and commercial rates in the medium – long term
  • increasing the opportunities for domestic private-sector investment/participation in the electricity sector
  • providing increased fuel diversity as a natural consequence of investor-determined choices and risks
  • considerably reducing transmission/ distribution losses as a result of a more balanced distribution of supply and demand
  • creating practical opportunities for increasing the share of renewables in the supply of electricity.

Space doesn’t permit a more detailed examination of this conceptual model in this article. Suffice to say that it will require a deep commitment to the national interest and the willing participation of all stakeholders in the electricity sector, including the JPS, the OUR and GOJ, the local private sector, academia and consumers.

All have a role to play in helping to return sanity to a very troubled sector. We will complete the presentation and examination of this conceptual model in subsequent papers.

Contributed by the Energy Think Tank, University of the West Indies, Mona

Fuel

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