Daraine Luton, Senior Staff Reporter
THE TARGETED reduction of the consumption of energy within the public sector last year failed to meet the announced objective, falling short by two thirds.
Energy Minister Phillip Paulwell told
Jamalco Refinery, the alumina joint venture between the Jamaican Government and Alcoa, aims to build the island’s first major coal plant in order to lower the cost of alumina production, Mining Minister Phillip Paulwell indicated on Thursday.
The plant will lower the high cost of energy that currently threatens the viability of the bauxite/alumina sector, which earns the third-highest levels of foreign exchange for Jamaica.
Majority owner and managing partner Alcoa has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the matter with the Government, said Paulwell at his post-Budget presentation press conference.
Ministry’s plans
Paulwell laid out his ministry’s plans to lawmakers on Wednesday.
“For Jamalco, we are going to have an energy solution that is different from what we have now. The Cabinet has signed off and I have signed an MOU with Alcoa for them to pursue a coal option, and they are pursuing a bidding arrangement where they are seeking investors who will establish the plant and will do a take-or-pay contract with them,” he told journalists at the Office of Prime Minister in Kingston on Thursday. “So that is a part of the mix and it is a requirement going forward,” he said.
Tackle high costs
Financial Gleaner
Beginning in June, the Government will commence accepting bid submissions from investors to develop projects aimed at generating up to 115 megawatts of energy from renewable sources, which could potentially reduce Jamaica
Gary Spaulding,
Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Phillip Paulwell (left), addressing the energy efficiency and conservation workshop for the Ministry and its agencies at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston, on March 27. Looking on is Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Hillary Alexander.
Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Phillip Paulwell, says individual behavioural changes are critical in the fight to conserve energy and reduce the country
Energy minister Phillip Paulwell has announced that his ministry will be partnering with the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) to undertake a $109 million feasibility project at five potential hydropower sites.
The work is being carried out as part of the Energy Security and Efficiency Enhancement Project, which is being funded through a 2011 loan agreement between the Government and the World Bank.
Under the agreement the World Bank has provided US$15 million to finance initiatives to increase Jamaica‘s energy efficiency and improve energy security.
Of this amount, $2.5 million has been allocated to the implementation of the hydro project.
The sites selected to participate in the project are the Rio Cobre River in St. Catherine, Morgan and Negro rivers in St. Thomas, Martha Brae River in Trelawny and Spanish River in Portland.
Paulwell has described the project as significant to his Ministry’s larger plan to develop Jamaica’s renewable energy industry.
The project will be carried out by SP Studio Pietrangeli, an Italian consulting engineering services firm.
Work is scheduled to continue until August 2014.
The Government has committed to having renewable sources supplying at least 20 per cent of Jamaica’s energy supply by 2030.
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Energy minister Phillip Paulwell has announced that his ministry will be partnering with the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) to undertake a $109 million feasibility project at five potential hydropower sites.
The work is being carried out as part of the Energy Security and Efficiency Enhancement Project, which is being funded through a 2011 loan agreement between the Government and the World Bank.
Under the agreement the World Bank has provided US$15 million to finance initiatives to increase Jamaica‘s energy efficiency and improve energy security.
Of this amount, $2.5 million has been allocated to the implementation of the hydro project.
The sites selected to participate in the project are the Rio Cobre River in St. Catherine, Morgan and Negro rivers in St. Thomas, Martha Brae River in Trelawny and Spanish River in Portland.
Paulwell has described the project as significant to his Ministry’s larger plan to develop Jamaica’s renewable energy industry.
The project will be carried out by SP Studio Pietrangeli, an Italian consulting engineering services firm.
Work is scheduled to continue until August 2014.
The Government has committed to having renewable sources supplying at least 20 per cent of Jamaica’s energy supply by 2030.
Read more:
We note Energy Minister Phillip Paulwell’s intention of reintroducing the scheme that gave households energy-saving light bulbs in exchange for incandescent ones.
We back the idea if the Cubans, who donated the first set of bulbs, do in fact have more to give, and if we can be assured that there will be proper oversight. For the last effort was not only an embarrassment to Mr Paulwell’s People’s National Party administration, but Jamaica, generally.
The minister’s then deputy, and others, were accused of siphoning off millions of light bulbs for personal benefit and of setting up dummy companies to manage the distribution. These allegations are still before the court.
Any new arrangement must be beyond suspicion.
The opinions on this page, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gleaner. To respond to a Gleaner editorial, email us: editor@gleanerjm.com or fax: 922-6223. Responses should be no longer than 400 words. Not all responses will be published.
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