Minister Paulwell to speak
on renewable energy centre
By
Ross Sheil,
Staff Reporter
Jamaica
Gleaner
Kingston,Jamaica
Petroleumworld.com
06 18 06
PLANS
FOR a regional centre of excellence for renewable
energy to be established in Jamaica, this year,
will be outlined in Parliament next week by Phillip
Paulwell, Minister of Industry, Technology, Energy
and Commerce.
Venezuela
had agreed to provide grant funding for the centre
as part of the Petrocaribe initiative when Mr. Paulwell
put forward the proposal, last year. Further details
will come in his budget presentation, on Tuesday.
WIND
FARM
"I
put it forward based on the work that we are already
doing with renewable energy with Wigton (Windfarm
Ltd.) and hydro that Jamaica be allowed certain
resources through Petrocaribe to establish this
centre where other countries should benefit from
our training," he said.
To
be coordinated by the state-owned Petroleum Corporation
of Jamaica (PCJ), the centre is expected to boost
the target of 15 per cent of Jamaica's energy generation
coming from renewable energy by 2012, as stated
by the national energy policy green paper.
Wigton
Windfarm Ltd., which has become the designated renewable
arm of the state-owned PCJ, is currently conducting
planning to double the capacity of its windfarm
from 20 to 40 megawatts in addition to a prospecting
hydroelectric power plant.
Meanwhile,
Government is planning seminars islandwide to gain
public feedback on the green paper. One was conducted
on Monday, at PCJ's headquarters on Trafalgar Road,
New Kingston, to coincide with its 27th anniversary.
Other seminars are to be held in Montego Bay, Mandeville
and Port Antonio.
National
energy policy green paper
Government
is encouraging members of the public to read and
respond to the national energy policy green paper.
It can be viewed and responded to online from the
Cabinet Office website: http://www.cabinet.gov.jm/
Jamaica
Gleaner
Friday | June 16, 2006
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