MUCH EMPHASIS ON RENEWABLE ENERGY IN 2009

By: LAWAYNE JEFFERSON

Minister of Energy and Mining, Hon. James Robertson (right), cuts the ribbon to officially open the Constant Spring Hydroelectric Power Plant located in Long Lane, St. Andrew, on December 9. Looking on (from left) are: President and Chief Executive Officer of the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS), Mr. Damian Obligio; Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the National Water Commission, Mr. Russell Hadeed; and Chairman of the JPS, Mr. Tomofumi Fukuda. Minister Robertson said that the re-opening of the plant tied in with the National Energy Policy 2009-2030, a main aim of which is the diversification of fuels and development of renewable energy resources.

The Ministry of Energy and Mining took major steps in 2009 to address the critical issue of climate change, and to advance the country’s goal to raise renewable energy consumption levels to 11 per cent of the country’s energy usage by 2012.

Foremost was switching to less carbon intensive fuels with a roll-out of  E-10 blends (E-87 and  E-90) in 2009 by the Minister, Hon. James Robertson.  

Petrojam, an agency of the Ministry, made the necessary infrastructural adjustments to its refinery, to improve the production and delivery of E-10 to satisfy growing demand, by installing four ethanol skids, to facilitate the blending of E-10 in both 87 and 90 octanes.

This was done in the wake of ongoing work on a proposal for a new instrument to replace the Kyoto Protocol, looking at more stringent measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In May 2009, Jamaica and 42 other small island developing states, deemed most vulnerable to climate change, drafted the proposal, in partnership with several international organisations. This was partly contingent on Jamaica’s unsustainable fuel costs and consumption levels.

These initiatives have been driven by Jamaica's rising energy consumption levels and the extraordinary foreign exchange costs. Jamaica’s energy consumption for the period 1990-2006 stood at some 385.5 million barrels, at a cost of some $750 billion. Over the 16-year period, consumption moved from 17.8 million barrels to 29. 2 million barrels and in 2007,  Jamaica spent in excess of US$2 billion on energy consumption.

During the year investments in renewable energy were also made with the Wigton wind farm, in Manchester, owned by the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ).

Group Managing Director of the PCJ, Dr. Ruth Potopsingh, told JIS News in May  that the trading of carbon credits through the Wigton wind farm was progressing well,  with further achievements anticipated.

Dr. Potopsingh explained that some 44,000 tons of carbon credit are sold annually under an eight-year agreement, which ends in about three years. She noted that the agreement provided Jamaica with approximately US$2.52 million. The Group Managing Director informed further, that plans were afoot to expand the wind farm by mid-2010. “Jamaica has to take the opportunity to maximise its potential from carbon trading,” she said.

These measures, while saving on Jamaica’s fuel bill, also helped to ameliorate the greenhouse effect, global warming and climate change. Greenhouse gases are components of the atmosphere that contribute to the greenhouse effect, which is the process by which the emission of infrared radiation (heat) by the atmosphere warms the planet's surface. Greenhouse gases come from natural sources and human activity, and consist of water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone.

Earth Warming

It has been found that the earth was warmed by 0.7 degrees Celsius over the past Century. The World Energy Outlook predicts that carbon dioxide emissions will increase by 63 per cent over 2002 levels by the year 2030. Much of this increase, now 30 per cent more than pre-industrial levels, is due to human activity, and according to the 2006 Human Development Report published by the UNDP, will have "momentous consequences in the 21st Century and beyond.” Jamaica has already seen the effects of environmental degradation and climate change, with sea level rise causing storm surges in areas, such as Portland Cottage and Rocky Point, in Clarendon.

National Energy Policy

This year, the Ministry also revised and tabled the National Energy Policy as a Green Paper in Parliament. This followed a number of islandwide community consultative meetings and focus group discussions, which began in January 2008. The final document was presented to Parliament for debate and final approval, becoming a White Paper to be passed into law. The National Energy Policy highlights the Government's programmes and plans to effectively manage and develop Jamaica's energy sector.  

 It aims, among other things, to ensure stable and adequate energy supplies at the least economic cost; reduce Jamaica's dependence on oil, through development of renewable energy sources and technologies, as well as bio-fuels; and to  minimise the adverse environmental effects and pollution caused by the production, storage, transport and use of energy.

The policy is also essential for facilitating investments in areas, such as bio-fuels, to include second and third bio-fuel development; waste-to-energy; issues of net-metering; and an integrate policy on the trading of bio-credit.  Initiatives taken in the year demonstrate tangible enactment of stated policy outcomes in keeping with the  mission to secure Jamaica’s energy future , advance competitiveness and promote sustainable prosperity.

Mr. Robertson reiterates this, declaring that “a cornerstone of this policy is diversifying our energy base. We will find new ways to power our economy and to reduce the amount of energy we use.”

“We will explore indigenous sources of energy and clean technologies, thereby injecting life into research institutions and generating new, ‘green’ jobs at a time when new jobs are so sorely needed. This policy will also enable us to reduce pollution and thereby protect the health of all Jamaicans, as they go about their daily business. It will demonstrate that Jamaica is a responsible global citizen, as we minimise our emissions of greenhouse gases, and reduce our carbon footprint,” he added.

Hydro-Power

Another initiative taken by the PCJ to increase Jamaica’s use of renewable energy was completion of a feasibility study for hydro-power from the Laughlands River, in St Ann. “This project is ready for an investor to join with the PCJ to develop a two- megawatt facility,” Dr. Potopsingh confirmed.

Other hydro-power initiatives, for which pre-feasibility studies have been completed, are the Back Rio Grande River in Portland, which has the capacity to produce 30 megawatts of energy, and the Great River in Hanover, with the potential to produce eight megawatts of energy.  Funding for the studies is already in place, provided by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the CARICOM Secretariat. 

 Expansion of wind energy was also advanced through an islandwide wind mapping exercise.  The PCJ head said that 20 sites had been selected for data collection and analysis to determine their wind generating potential. Once this is ascertained, project proposals will be created for investors. Sites, she said, have been selected based on temperature and wind data collected from the meteorological office.

Dock Accident

The Petrojam dock in Kingston was successfully repaired in record time, after it was damaged. On   Monday, June 1, the vessel, M/T Great News, which was transporting crude oil to the refinery in Kingston, collided with the dock, putting the facility out of service. Damage included loss of several pipelines used to load petroleum products, and at least one crane.

Minister of Energy and Mining, Hon. James Robertson about to address stakeholders following a tour of the damaged docking facilities at Petrojam. To the Minister’s right is General Manager of Petrojam, Mr. Winston Watts.

One week after the accident, underwater welding equipment and 4000 feet of pipeline, to effect repairs to the damaged dock, were brought into the island. The Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) line to the former Esso, Kingston, which suffered severe damage was also commissioned and installed three weeks ahead of schedule.

Petrojam’s General Manager, Winston Watson, told JIS News that a week following the accident, the first shipment of 1,000 feet of pipeline arrived in Jamaica on a chartered flight from Houston, Texas, in the United States.   An additional 3,000 feet were brought in two days later, bringing the total shipment cost to some US$150,000.

Energy Efficiency

In the area of energy efficiency, Dr. Potopsingh reported that the Ministry, through increased use of solar energy for hot water and lighting in nine hospitals across Jamaica, had reduced their energy consumption by some 600 kilowatt hours of electricity annually that would normally be bought from the grid.

The PCJ Head also reported that energy audits were completed at 19 schools, looking at efficient energy use in high schools. The plan is to have largescale implementation of determined measures in schools throughout Jamaica.

The Strategic Vision of the Ministry, as stated in the new energy policy, speaks to a “modern, efficient, diversified and environmentally sustainable energy sector, providing affordable and accessible energy supplies with long-term energy security and supported by informed public behaviour on energy issues and an appropriate policy, and regulatory systems.” Initiatives undertaken in 2009 by the Ministry and its agencies demonstrate their enactment of this vision.