Commerce Ministry Continued to Explore Measures to Save Energy

With the continued escalation in world oil prices, the government in 2006, explored and implemented cost-effective alternatives to save on the country's fuel bill and reduce consumption.

            To this end, several initiatives were undertaken including the Jamaica/Cuba Bulb Programme, Ethanol Pilot Project, and the Petrojam Upgrade and Expansion Programme.

Jamaica/Cuba Bulb Programme

            The Jamaica/Cuba Bulb Project, which involved the Cuban government donating four million compact fluorescent lamps or energy saving bulbs to replace the incandescent bulbs in local households, was launched in February. Some 83,000 bulbs were distributed to communities in East Kingston and Port Royal and East Rural St. Andrew. 

            Since the pilot project, the government embarked on a national campaign, through which more than 123,000 bulbs were distributed to North East St. Elizabeth, South West St. Elizabeth, East Portland and South West St. Andrew.

            The Minister also pointed to the environmental benefits of the compact fluorescent bulbs, noting that replacing only three incandescent bulbs with fluorescents could eliminate 750 pounds of carbon dioxide per year. “This benefits our people and our tourism product and there is potential for earning carbon credits from the product.”

Petrojam Upgrade and Expansion Programme

            In March, 2006, Petrojam and a Canadian-based company, SNC Lavalin Engineers and Constructors Inc., signed an agreement to undertake the first phase of the refinery's upgrade and expansion programme.

             Following a competitive tendering process, SNC Lavalin was awarded the contract to carry out the Front End Engineering Design (FEED) study for the full scope of the refinery engineering design.

            Minister Phillip Paulwell said that the occasion marked “the culmination of two years of study to select the appropriate upgrade model best suited for the Petrojam refinery and of course Jamaica's growing demand for energy to meet our development needs.”

Ethanol Pilot Project

            In May, Petrojam Limited launched a pilot project geared at determining the performance of a cross-section of motor vehicles with the ethanol blend.  Ethanol, an oxygenate blended with gasoline in a mixture of 10 per cent ethanol to 90 per cent gasoline, is an octane enhancer to boost engine performance.

            Minister Paulwell explained that the pilot was a precursor to the full roll out of the ethanol blend into the market. “We want to ensure that this project is successful because come next year, the government will be declaring the abolition of the use of MTBE (Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether) as an octane enhancer,” the Minister declared.

            Minister Paulwell said it was important for Jamaica to “move quickly to the ethanol blended fuels,” as the initiative provided several benefits including the reduction of the country's petroleum foreign exchange bill by using locally grown feedstock from sugarcane, facilitation of the development of the local sugar industry, fuel diversification for energy security, and environmental benefits through cleaner tailpipe emissions.  

Some 70 vehicles, representing the range of transportation on Jamaica's roads, are being used in the pilot project.

Renewables and Energy Conservation

 The Scientific Research Council (SRC) also played its role in implementing cost-effective methods of energy.

The Council launched an Up-flow Anaerobic Sludge Blanker (UASB) Reactor, which is a system which uses oxygen-free (anaerobic) bacteria to treat industrial, agro-processing and city waste to produce natural gas as a by-product.

2006-2020 Energy Green Paper

The government continuously explored short and long-term actions to address the situation of rising energy prices and the uncertainty over supply.

This effort led to the development of the 2006-2020 Energy Green Paper, which outlines strategies for the diversification of the national energy base, as well as for the creation of opportunities to ensure stable, affordable and adequate energy supplies. 

Permanent Secretary in the Energy Ministry, Dr. Jean Dixon, pointed out that the Green Paper has recommended that the contribution from renewable sources to the electricity sector be increased to 10 per cent by 2010 and to 20 per cent by 2020.                                                                                                                                                                           

Dr. Dixon said that a number of opportunities were available in the Green Paper, such as investments in solar, wind, hydro and biomas that entrepreneurs should find of interest. She also noted that the document contained an attractive source of financing, which is called the Energy Fund.

The Green Paper has been tabled in Parliament for the proposals to be presented to specific sectors of interest, to result in a White Paper that will approve a policy document, and that programmes are expected to be developed to give life to the policy.

PCJ-led Projects

The Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ), last year, continued initiatives to reduce the dependence on traditional sources of energy and promote the use of alternative sources, including the Hospital Energy Efficiency Project.

Under this project, energy auditors went into various hospitals and assessed their energy efficiency in terms of their water heating, air conditioning and lighting system.

So far, four hospitals have benefited from the project - the Bustamante Hospital for Children, Cornwall Regional Hospital, Princess Margaret, and the St. Ann's Bay Hospital. 

At some of these hospitals, incandescent lamps were replaced with compact fluorescents, and solar water heaters were installed. Power factor correction equipment was also installed, while the insulation of steam distribution lines was carried out.

In addition, the PCJ conducted walk-through audits at 18 other hospitals and full scale energy audits at five hospitals as well as 10 health centres across the island.

Another effort by the government to promote the use of alterative sources of energy among Jamaicans is the Energy Conservation Incentive Programme, which is a joint venture involving the Ministry of Industry, Technology, Energy and Commerce, the Consumer Affairs Commission, and the Ministry of Local Government and Environment.

Marcia Browne, Corporate Affairs Officer at the PCJ, explained that this programme benefited students from 13 inner city high schools. The students visited the PCJ where they learned from posters and power point presentations about the importance of energy conservation.

She noted that the teachers and students were very receptive and some schools have incorporated the presentations as part of their curriculum.