Liquefied petroleum gas Archives

UTech to unveil findings of cooking with hydrogen study

October 30, 2015 Webmaster

University of Technology Jamaica (UTech) File Photo

THE findings of a University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech)-led research project focusing on the sustainable production of hydrogen as a fuel for domestic cooking will form the basis of presentations and discussions at an International Hydrogen Conference and Exhibition being hosted by UTech at its Papine campus, November 3 – 4, 2015. The conference is first of its kind in the Caribbean region.

In 2012, UTech, along with research partners from Brunel University, United Kingdom; University of the West Indies; Bureau of Standards Jamaica; and the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy, and Mining began a research project on ‘The Application of Solar-Powered Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) Electrolysers for the Sustainable Production of Hydrogen Gas as Fuel for Domestic Cooking’. The project is co-funded by the European Union under the ACP Caribbean & Pacific Research Programme for Sustainable Development.

Dr Ruth Potopsingh, Associate Vice- President, Caribbean Sustainable Energy & Innovation Institute in the School of Graduate Studies, Research and Entrepreneurship at UTech, and coordinator of the conference, explains that the issue of hydrogen as a sustainable energy source is particularly relevant to Jamaica at this time.

“The use of hydrogen, whether for cooking at the household or commercial level, clean transportation fuel or utility scale applications, such as power to gas, are options which the Caribbean region needs to further examine,” she said.

Conference presentations by local and international research experts will highlight global trends in hydrogen as a key enabling pathway for renewable energy applications. Thematic areas to be examined include hydrogen from renewable resources, environmental issues and climate change, hydrogen as a transportation fuel, the future of hydrogen technology, hydrogen storage systems, education and public awareness for using hydrogen as a domestic fuel, and case studies on successful hydrogen projects.

Keynote speakers will be:

* Phillip Paulwell, minister of Science, Technology, Energy, and Mining (MSTEM)

* Paola Amadei, ambassador, head of delegation of the European Union in Jamaica

* Prof Maria Kolokotroni, Professor / theme leader for Resource Efficient Future Cities at Brunel University

* Dr Andrei Tchouvelev, Chairman of ISO’s primary technical committee on hydrogen technologies based in Canada.

Other presenters include the project research team led by Dr Earle Wilson, lecturer, School of Engineering, UTech; Dr Zahir Dehouche, Brunel University; Dr Kurt Edward, UWI; Omar Alcock, MSTEM; and Hunstan Hunter, Bureau of Standards, Jamaica. Presentations will also be delivered by representatives from industry and the European Union ACP Research Programme for Sustainable Development.

The international hydrogen conference will also include an exhibition featuring faculty and student research as well as innovations and service providers from the local energy sector. It will be free and open to the public, but participants are being asked to register owing to limited capacity. The public exhibition opens to the public from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on each day. Further information is available at http://www.solarhydrogen.utechsapna.com or via email CSEII@Utech.edu.jm.

The Observer

Electricity JPS News

Combined Cycle Gas Turbine the way forward for new generation in Jamaica

April 17, 2013 Webmaster

This article has been submitted by the JPS.

As the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) evaluates proposals for the construction of the next generation of generating plants, the question of what is the best technology to deploy has ignited a public debate, as we saw with the recent article published in the Business Observer (Wednesday, April 3).

The two leading technologies that have emerged are the medium-speed reciprocating engines (diesel) (MSD) and the combined cycle gas turbines (CCGT). Both technologies are currently in operation in Jamaica and have some inherent advantages and disadvantages.

Total generation cost, flexibility of fuel options, ease and frequency of maintenance and environmental issues are all important considerations that will factor into the decision by the OUR in the technology choice. The analysis by JPS has concluded that the CCGT is the right generation solution for Jamaica at this time.

Policy & regulatory framework

The decision on the most appropriate technology for electricity generation is first framed by the policy objectives of both the Government and the OUR. The two most important objectives of the National Energy Policy and the regulator are:

1. A significant reduction in electricity prices; and

2. Fuel diversification.

The Government and the OUR have agreed that a policy of diversifying the mix of fuel used for electricity generation away from oil is the most effective in lowering electricity cost. JPS agrees with this policy approach and it is within that context it has conducted an evaluation of the available technologies to replace its existing capacity and prepare for sustainability and future growth in electricity demand.

Sector experience

JPS has been Jamaica’s electricity provider for 90 years and owns the largest block of power plants on the island. Its majority shareholders, Marubeni Corporation of Japan and Korea East-West Power Company together own and operate power plants (including diesels and combined cycle units) with an installed capacity of over 9,000 MW globally and using a full range of fuels: coal, gas, oil, hydro, wind, solar. No other entity in Jamaica and few others across the world can similarly claim this level of operational familiarity and experience with such a range of plants and fuel.

JPS drew on this knowledge, experience and policy objectives in preparing its proposal to the OUR and after careful analysis has concluded that the CCGT technology offers the best efficiency and flexibility option for generation expansion in Jamaica at this time.

Here’s why.

Cost of Energy

Government Jobs News

Electricity bidder proposes LNG power barges

April 10, 2013 Webmaster

AZUREST Partners and Cambridge Project Development are saying that natural gas electricity generation can happen in Jamaica in little over a year.

The two firms’ joint submission to the Office of Utilities Regulations (OUR) proposes to use natural gas-fired power barges, which can be built within 12 to 15 months after getting the go-ahead from the Government.

An LNG offshore terminal designed for unloading, storage and regasifying liquefied natural gas. Azurest and Cambridge propose to build power barges that would be fed by small LNG ships.

What’s more, they believe that they can access liquefied natural gas (LNG) economically, “because we will have our own LNG source in the US Gulf Coast, the cheapest gas source in the world”.

The idea is to directly feed the power barges located in Jamaica from its fleet of smaller LNG supply vessels.

“Our smaller ships, of a scale appropriate to Jamaica, make our LNG transport process economical,” said Kenneth Allen, managing director of Azurest.

Allen said that his proposal allows for a modular approach to building out the generating capacity — each barge can provide 100 megawatts (MW) of capacity — but if allowed to build all of the 400 MW, its LNG-fired plants could save the country US$415 million annually.

“If we are allowed to put in all of our 400 MW of clean LNG high-efficiency generation capacity, then we should be able to reduce the price paid by the Jamaican public by at least 10 US cents (from 40 US cents to about 28 US cents), or about 25 per cent across the whole country,” he said.

Five entities have presented proposals to the OUR in response to its announcement in February that it would review proposals to supply generation capacity.

The OUR aims to advise the Government of the final results of its analysis on Monday.

Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) also submitted three proposals for consideration by the OUR, according to the power company’s CEO, Kelly Tomblin.

The proposals are for the construction of 360 MW of new generation capacity, using combined cycle technology and a combination of fuel sources: natural gas as primary fuel, with Automotive Diesel Oil (ADO) as backup fuel; natural gas as primary fuel with inlet air cooling power enhancement, and ADO as backup fuel; and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) as the primary fuel.

However, Wartsila Caribbean, which is the proposed technology provider for three of the bids, including the Cambridge/Azurest joint venture, has said that its reciprocating engines are a good deal more efficient than the combined cycle gas turbines (CCGT) being proposed for use by JPS.

The reciprocating engines could save over US$100 million a year more than the proposed CCGT, according to Wartsila Caribbean Vice-president Rodney George — and that’s even without LNG.

“Bogue is a living example where the CCGT plant has a combined cycle efficiency of only 40 per cent,” said George. “In comparison, the JEP (Jamaica Energy Partners) West Kingston plant with Wartsila reciprocating engines, have a simple cycle efficiency of close to 45 per cent… regardless of what fuel is utilised, be it LNG, LPG, or ADO, the efficiency quotient remains the same.”

Despite suggestions to the contrary, JPS is confident that combined cycle technology is of far greater benefit to the country than other options being considered, such as diesel engine technology, according to the JPS boss.

“While we haven’t seen the other proposals, our information shows that CCGT not only offers lower overall costs through greater efficiency and lower operating and maintenance costs. It is also more environmentally friendly,” Tomblin said. “Although JPS and the GOJ continue to evaluate all potential gas supply options, if the immediate supply options for LNG do not result in the desired reduction in electricity charges, LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) is a great option.

“LPG is more accessible right now and can be easily incorporated in our long-term plans for fuel diversification and price reduction,” she added. “The current prices show LPG providing attractive cost reductions for our customers.”

In the meantime, George proposes that the use of backup liquid fuel such as heavy fuel oil (HFO) is “not far-fetched given the uncertainty of securing LNG or LPG supplies”.

Allen said that if the other bidders aren’t using LNG, “they are probably not the lowest cost solution for the Jamaican electricity consumer”.

Cambridge is a developer of energy and environmental infrastructure projects focused on the Caribbean and has in-house experience successfully developing over US$2 billion in projects in the Caribbean Basin, as well as the long-term management of over 12 independent power plants.

Azurest Partners is a financial advisory and capital-raising firm, where team members have collectively raised over US$900 million in equity and US$2 billion in debt financing for clients in the US, UK and Africa.

News

Gas Pro Adds Storage Capacity To Exploit Propane Market

April 4, 2013 Webmaster

Peter Graham, chief executive officer of Gas Products Limited in Jamaica. File

Avia Collinder,

Government JPS News
Census Highlights Power Gap – Consumers Outnumber JPS Customer Base By More Than 200,000

October 22, 2012 jrobinson

A JPS technician at work. – File

Over 805,000 households in Jamaica or 91.3 per cent of the total captured in the 2011 census of population and housing, use electricity as a source of lighting.

The number is more than 200,000 bigger than the customer base of the country’s sole transmitter and distributor of electricity, the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS), which puts the number of clients on its books at under 600,000.

Responding to the findings, JPS Head of Corporate Communications Winsome Callum said the gap “probably an indicator of the number of households that are using electricity illegally”.

According to the census, a not insignificant number of the total 881,078 households captured under the study – 48,629 – use kerosene as their source of lighting. Other sources of lighting not specifically identified are used by 7,515 households, while 19,635 did not report a source.

As expected, St Andrew households are the largest consumers of electricity with 184,176 having access; followed by St Catherine where 151,865 households are powered, Clarendon with 68,286 households having access, St James with 56,403, and Manchester where power penetration is across 54,125 households.

Of the total number of households, 80 per cent or 705,235 use liquid petroleum gas (LPG) as a source of fuel for cooking; 15,803 or 1.8 per cent use electricity for that purpose; 8.9 per cent or 78,700 use wood; and 6.1 per cent or 53,876 use charcoal. Less than one per cent or just 94 households use biogas; and only 25 households use solar energy – suggesting that the use of renewables in Jamaica is still in the infancy stage.

The five largest concentrations of LPG users are found in St Andrew followed by St. Catherine, St James, Clarendon and Manchester.

According to the census conducted by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (Statin), just 16 per cent of households or 141,835 have access to treated piped water for drinking. Another 68,839 households reported having access to treated drinking water, but it is not piped.

Statin found that 503,411 households or a significant 57.1 per cent have access to piped water used for drinking, but said it is not treated. Another 85,392 households or 9.7 per cent have access to water for drinking from other sources not specifically identified, but it is also not treated.

Statin has not identified a reason for the large number of households not having access to treated water for drinking.The census found that 7.5 per cent or 66,843 households now use bottled water for drinking.

However, the low level of treated piped water used for drinking is not necessarily reflective of the state-owned National Water Commission‘s (NWC) services according to Statin’s Director of Censuses, Demographics and Social Statistics Dr Valerie Nam.

Public relations officer at the NWC Karen Williams said the agency has a customer base of about 425,000, comprising residential and commercial consumers and that it treats all the water it supplies.

Consumption of the NWC’s supplies is reflected in the census document by separate breakdown of households’ source of water used for domestic purposes. It shows that 450,625 households or 51.1 per cent obtain the commodity from a public source and have it piped into their homes.

Another 140,678 or almost 16 per cent of households had water piped into their yard; 52,371 or about six per cent obtain it from standpipes and 10,776 or 1.2 per cent get it from catchments.

mcpherse.thompson@gleanerjm.com

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