Jamaica
embracing solar power
By Ross Sheil, Staff Reporter
Jamaica Gleaner
Kingston
Petroleumworldtt.com
11 12 06
Solar
energy has taken a long time to gain popularity
in Jamaica.
At
last count. there were just 7,000 units on the island.
But
recently, in the form of solar water heaters (SWH),
interest has grown. SWHs are also zero-rated for
GCT and import duties as part of Government policy
to encourage renewable energy.
The
Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) has just
launched its latest awareness campaign featuring
a mascot, 'Solar Man', targeting children, rather
than adults whose indifference has frustrated past
efforts.
Still
a hobby
Currently,
photovoltaic (PV) units, which convert sunlight
into electricity, are expensive. They remain the
reserve of the hobbyist who wants to be independent
from the national grid and free from light bills.
Or maybe that person just cares about the damage
caused by burning imported oil to foreign-exchange
earnings and the environment.
Making
your house PV-self-sufficient could cost around
$1 million, said Richard Osborne, support engineer
for the Automatic Control Engineering company based
in Mandeville. But even with these costs, he says,
there has been increasing interest.
"They
call all the time, I wouldn't say more business,
but more enquiries," said Mr. Osborne.
Mr.
Osbourne said SWHs are doing a much better trade,
buoyed by loan packages offered by the National
Housing Trust (NHT) and credit unions.
Assuming
that you are using electricity to heat your water,
you could save up to two thirds on your light bill.
He
believes payback times are estimated at between
two to three years. The NHT loan, with an available
$100,000 repayable within five years, makes sound
economic sense.
Public
embracing solar
The
NHT has now approved 107 such loans, including one
to Guy Wiltshire from Baillieston district in Clarendon.
Mr.
Wiltshire had just constructed a new housing unit
for his family of four and, when looking to buy
an electric water heater, went to his friend's hardware
store.
Instead,
the friend advised him to apply for the NHT loan
and last month had a unit installed.
"One
thing I can say is that we are enjoying it. It is
working perfectly well and the company that installed
the unit was very efficient. So far, it's beautiful,"
he said.
But
for Mikael Oerbekke, president of the Jamaica Solar
Energy Association and owner of Bluefields, Westmoreland-based
Eco-Tec, those 107 loans are far from beautiful.
He acknowledged, however, that more suppliers were
entering the market.
More
incentives needed
He
said that, for PV to really take off, heavy tax
incentives offered in countries like Barbados, Germany
and the United States would be needed. Additionally,
the current net-billing arrangement would need to
be converted to net metering - JPS would pay the
same rate that they charge unlike the lower rate
currently offered.
There
may be no bigger fillip for the industry than the
draft national building code under which it is proposed
that SWH units be mandatory. Some developers have
pre-empted that.
Most
notably, New Era Homes has installed units on all
950 houses at its Caribbean Estates development
in Portmore, St. Catherine.
As
New Era told The Gleaner, the decision was part
of its policy to lower post-occupancy costs.
Local
industry developing
The
solar energy industry is in its early stage in Jamaica.
The
PCJ is in "advanced stages" of negotiation
with one foreign manufacturer to establish a factory
here.
Standing
in the car park at the Scientific Research Council's
Hope Gardens, St. Andrew, headquarters is a machine
resembling something out of an old science-fiction
film.
Belonging
to young St. Mary-based inventor, George 'Helicopter'
Douglas, the machine aims to use fewer panels to
generate more electricity than more standard PV.
He is, however, reluctant to divulge the technology
behind it.
Currently,
it produces 110 watts, sufficient to power a fridge
or any appliance that uses less than one kilowatt
in voltage.
Mr.
Douglas' ultimate aim is to produce 100,000 watts,
enough to provide power to 100 rural housing units.
But to do this, he will need financial assistance
to purchase an expensive current inverter.
A/C
technology
Meanwhile
Eco-Tec is also looking into a new, albeit proven
technology, solar cooling, which uses solar panels
and heat exchange as an alternative to conventional
air conditioning. The company is negotiating over
two projects, said Mr. Oerbekke.
Jamaica
Gleaner
Wednesday | November 8, 2006
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©2006 Jamaica Gleaner. All Rights Reserved.
