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Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Prime Minister Bruce Golding says government is examining the prospects for setting up a solar energy farm on the eastern side of the Hellshire Hills in Portmore, St Catherine. This, the PM said, would form part of his administration's bid to encourage greater use of solar energy for household purposes.
Golding was responding to recommendations made by businessmen to address the energy crisis at a meeting held recently in Montego Bay.
The use as solar power as a renewable energy solution is becoming more prevalent across the globe with the latest farm planned for a state in western India being prompted to be the world's largest solar power project - total power generation capacity is expected to reach five gigawatts.
Oil is currently used to generate 95 per cent of Jamaica's electricity and the government has a target to increase renewable energy supplied to the national grid from 5.5 per cent to 10 per cent by 2010 and 15.0 per cent. On the drawing board now are plans to double the capacity of Wigton Windfarms, which has installed capacity of 20.7 MW.
Additionally, the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ), the state agency charged with securing the island's energy hopes to derive up to 30 megawatts (MW) of electricity from the flow of water, through such partnerships.
The PCJ and the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) also signed an agreement to construct a US$300-million, 100 to 120 Megawatt petcoke generation plant at Hunts Bay, scheduled to begin operation in 2013.
Less expensive than oil, coke is a by-product of the refining process and will lower light bills on the island.
Prime Minister Bruce Golding says government is examining the prospects for setting up a solar energy farm on the eastern side of the Hellshire Hills in Portmore, St Catherine. This, the PM said, would form part of his administration's bid to encourage greater use of solar energy for household purposes.
Golding was responding to recommendations made by businessmen to address the energy crisis at a meeting held recently in Montego Bay.
The use as solar power as a renewable energy solution is becoming more prevalent across the globe with the latest farm planned for a state in western India being prompted to be the world's largest solar power project - total power generation capacity is expected to reach five gigawatts.
Oil is currently used to generate 95 per cent of Jamaica's electricity and the government has a target to increase renewable energy supplied to the national grid from 5.5 per cent to 10 per cent by 2010 and 15.0 per cent. On the drawing board now are plans to double the capacity of Wigton Windfarms, which has installed capacity of 20.7 MW.
Additionally, the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ), the state agency charged with securing the island's energy hopes to derive up to 30 megawatts (MW) of electricity from the flow of water, through such partnerships.
The PCJ and the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) also signed an agreement to construct a US$300-million, 100 to 120 Megawatt petcoke generation plant at Hunts Bay, scheduled to begin operation in 2013.
Less expensive than oil, coke is a by-product of the refining process and will lower light bills on the island.
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