Sustainable Energy & Development News VOL.1 june 2013
THE MONTHLY REVIEW OF SUSTAINABLE ENERGY & DEVELOPMENT NEWS IN THE CARIBBEAN FROM THE REGION�S LEADING INFORMATION PLATFORMS.
This publication is prepared by the Caribbean Energy Information System. What’s Happening Now Across The Region... Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Report: Renewable Energy could Power all of Latin America and Caribbean In 2012, global investments in alternative renewable technologies (solar, wind, geothermal, ocean, small-scale hydropower and advanced bio-energy) and traditional hydropower amounted to $244 billion, of which Latin America represented a modest 5.4 percent. Read more
OECS promoting Energy Conservation The OECS is conducting a campaign on energy conservation across the sub-region. Carol Smith from Open Windows Consultants arrived in St. Kitts and Nevis this week to meet with stakeholders in the private sector and government to advise on energy conservation. Read more Spanish Company may produce LED Lights in Cuba Benito Muros, a controversial Spanish entrepreneur who designed a long-lasting light bulb, is planning to manufacture his product in Cuba, official news agency Prensa Latina reported. Read more
JUNE 2013 IN REVIEW BE IN THE KNOW ON RENEWABLE ENERGY
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Alternative Energy Certificate Course (AECC) 2013 July 8 - 26, 2013 UWI Mona Campus, Jamaica Renewable Energy Storage Symposium July 31, 2013 - August 2, 2013 San Diego, California Metering Latin America 2013 August 27-29, 2013 Transamerica Expo Centre, São Paulo, Brazil Caribbean Tourism: The Energy Forum (CTEF) September 2013 Punta Cana, Dominican Republic Energy Caribbean Conference 2013 October 1-2, 2013 The Hilton Trinidad
28-6-2013 ||Taiwanese Solar Panel Manufacturing Plant opens in St Kitts A $1.5 million solar panel manufacturing plant has opened at St Kitts’ CA Paul Southwell Industrial Park. The panels will be manufactured by a Taiwanese company called Speedtech Energy that will reportedly be training 15 to 20 Kittitians and Nevisians. Read more 26-6-2013 || 40-50% Energy Cost ‘Slash’ via Production Privatisation The Bahamas Renewable Energy Association’s president has hailed proposals to privatise electricity generation as having the potential to slash energy costs by 40-50 per cent and make this nation a regional leader. Read more 26-6-2013 || BEC Chief calls for ‘Measured’ Renewable Plan The Bahamas should take “measured steps” towards renewable energy integration, the Bahamas Electricity Corporation’s (BEC) general manager believes, agreeing that the proper legislation and a National Energy Policy needed to be implemented beforehand. Read more 26-6-2013 || Renewable Sources of Energy foster Sustainable Development in Camaguey Camagüey province has today great development potentials while talking on renewable energy sources, considering its photovoltaic systems which are used to pump water and generate electricity. Read more 26-6-2013 || Renewable Provider proposes Solar for 25% BEC Needs A BAHAMIAN renewable provider has presented the Government with an “energy mix” proposal to allow for 25 per cent of the Bahamas Electricity Corporation’s (BEC) daytime generating capacity to be derived from solar power. Read more 26-6-2013 ||Thousands Of Homes Benefit From Wind Energy In Eastern Cuba Some 10 thousand homes in this eastern province are receiving electricity generated by a wind farm set up five years ago on the coastal municipality of Gibara. Read more
CREF 2013 October 9 - 11, 2013 The Westin Resort and Casino Aruba
Carbon Dioxide Utilisation Summit 2013 October 30 - 31, 2013 Brussels, Belgium
24-6-2013 ||CCL Launches Barbados’ Solar Carport Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) has facilitated the development of a ground-breaking project that saw the first of ten (10) Megapower solar carports being launched in Barbados on Friday, June 7, 2013. Read more 24-6-2013 ||Cuba: Wind Power Vs. Oil It would seem that local newspapers are intent on misinforming the public – both at home and abroad – about the Cuban government’s priorities with respect to the development of alternative energy sources. A case in point was the news surrounding the recentlyconcluded congress of the World Wind Energy Association and the Renewable Energy Exhibition (WWEC 2013), held in Havana at the beginning of this month. Read more 24-6-2013 ||Wigton Hosts Workshop on Wind Energy, Power Purchase Agreements The Manchester-based Wigton Windfarm will tomorrow host a seminar on wind energy and power purchase agreements. The workshop s a collaborative effort between Wigton — a subsidiary of the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) — and Vestas, a world-leading provider of wind energy technologies, products and services. It will be held at the PCJ Auditorium in New Kingston.that a pilot project is to begin this September. Read more 21-6-2013 || Barbados, Brazil Eye Cooperation on Renewable Energy Barbados and Brazil are exploring increased cooperation on green energy, according to Environment Minister Dr Denis Lowe. The Minister, who recently held talks with Brazil’s Ambassador to Barbados, Appio Claudio Acquarone, said Barbados was pursuing a number of environmental projects, including green energy projects. Read more 21-6-2013 || Grid Tie-In key to Renewable Energies Legislation permitting renewable energy grid tie-in is key to the sector’s growth in the Bahamas, one provider yesterday estimating that households could see a 15-30 per cent reduction in energy consumption via solar water heaters. Read more 21-6-2013 || Montserrat nearing completion of Second Geothermal Well Montserrat is close to completing the second well of its geothermal drilling project, the government said. The first well is being prepared for testing, while the second well has been drilled down to 1,184 metres. It is currently being lined with steel casement pipes, with cementing already having begun. Read more 21-6-2013 || Dominica Prime Minister heading to Paris for Geothermal Talks Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit is heading to Paris this week to meet with representatives of the Agence Française de Développement for talks on Dominica’s geothermal project. Read more 19-6-2013 || Cuba to build Biomass Power Plant A Chinese-designed biomass power plant fueled with byproducts of sugar production is planned to go up in Matanzas province, according to official news agency Prensa Latina. The $60 million project, to be built with Chinese technology and technical support, would be the second biomass power plant on the island. Read more
REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS, EXPRESSIONS OF INTERESTS & INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES: CALL FOR PROPOSALS: ENERGY SOLUTIONS FOR THE CARIBBEAN - Closes August 15, 2013 The 11th EDF Fixed At 30.5 Billion Euros NDF Energy Efficiency Guarantee Fund and Technical Assistance Fund CIF Calls For Proposals That Involve The Private Sector In REDD+ And Climate Resilience
REPORTS Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Report: Renewable Energy Could Power All Of Latin America And Caribbean An Assessment Of The Economic And Social Impacts Of Climate Change On The Energy Sector In The Caribbean Consultancy Report: Study On The Identification Of Potential Project Portfolios Associated To Programmatic CDM And NAMAs In Jamaica
19-6-2013 || Study ‘Backs’ Wind Powered Water Plant Expansion A RENEWABLE energy provider has seen “better than expected” results from its 12-month wind study on Eleuthera, its president yesterday expressing optimism about the possibility of expanding its windpowered desalination plant concept to other Family Islands. Read more 19-6-2013 || Brimming with Renewables:IDB says Region has enough Alternative Energy to fulfill 2050 Electricity needs Latin America and the Caribbean’s renewable energy endowment is large enough to cover its projected 2050 electricity needs 22 times over, according to a new report commissioned by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Read more 13-6-2013 ||Barbados Government Introducing Renewable Energy Legislation The Barbados government says it will soon introduce legislation to facilitate renewable energy generation on the island. Read more 13-6-2013 ||More Takers Needed For Energy Loans Persons are being urged to access single-digit interest rate loans from the Energy Fund operated by the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ). The loan can be had at roughly 9.5 per cent at various financial institutions, according to energy minister, Phillip Paulwell. Read more 13-6-2013 || 360MW Bidders get One-Month Extension The Office of Utilities Regulations (OUR) yesterday gave energy firms more than one month’s extension to July 29 to submit final proposals for the 360-megawatt project. Read more 13-6-2013 || Solar Power for Schools Energy Minister Kevin Ramnarine said a tender is being prepared for the award of a contract to install Solar Photo-Voltaic panels and solar powered distilled water stills into twenty-five schools across Trinidad and Tobago. Read more 11-6-2013 || Nevis Digging deep to Go Green As other destinations talk sustainability, what Nevis is doing is worthy of attention. According to Mark Brantley, Nevis’ deputy premier and minister of tourism, the island is on the cusp of becoming the first totally “green” destination in the world. Read more 11-6-2013 || Jamaica seeks $8bn in Investments for Bio-Fuel Development Jamaican government is seeking $8bn in investments for the development of the bio-fuels in a bid to reduce dependency on petroleum-based fuel. Read more 10-6-2013 || UK Company finds cheap way to light up Off-Grid Communities – Initiative could expand to Caribbean Using mobile telephone technology to energise rural communities is no longer a remote possibility. Read more 10-6-2013 || T&T, US Sign MOU On Renewable Energy The Ministry of Energy and Energy Affairs has started work on a Regional Renewable Energy Centre, following the recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between T&T and the United States. An assessment survey for the centre’s location and outfitting, which has been budgeted, is scheduled to begin shortly. Read more 3-6-2013 || NIA Speaking To Potential Geothermal Developers The Nevis Island Administration (NIA) says it is talking with several potential developers of geothermal energy on Nevis. Read more
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JUNE 2013 IN REVIEW
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28-6-2013 ||NWC needs rate regime that can attract financing, says Pickersgill Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change Minister Robert Pickersgill says his ministry is now awaiting the determination of the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) on the National Water Commission’s (NWC) rate increase application. Read more 26-6-2013 ||JSIF waste management champs THE Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) was yesterday named winner of the 2013 Jamaica Environmental Action Award (JEAA) in the waste management category. Read more 26-6-2013 ||Belizean Fisheries Project Could Help Protect Indigenous Lands While Easing Border Tensions Environmental NGO EcoLogic has big plans for a bi-national fisheries project between Belize and Guatemala that will ultimately build an organized union of local fisherfolk with decision-making capabilities over the region’s natural resource management and, as a possible byproduct, empower them to meet the looming threat of oil exploitation. Read more 24-6-2013 || Gov’t revisits Hybrid as Energy-Saving Option The Government is revisiting the idea of introducing hybrid vehicles to the local market, as it continues to put energy saving measures in place. Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Phillip Paulwell, made the disclosure on Monday, June 24, as he addressed the official launch of Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel (ULSD) at the Petcom Dunrobin station, St. Andrew. Read more
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19-6-2013 || Time to stop arguing about climate change, World Bank says The world should stop arguing about whether humans are causing climate change and start taking action to stop dangerous temperature rises, the president of the World Bank said on Wednesday. Jim Yong Kim said there was 97 to 98 percent agreement among scientists that global warming was real and caused by human activity. Read more 17-6-2013|| 77MW Waste-to-Energy Plan gets key permit The United States government approved a key permit Tuesday that helps pave the way for construction of a waste-to-energy plant in Puerto Rico that local environmentalists have long opposed. Read more 14-6-2013 || KSAC makes preparations for hurricanes The Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (KSAC) says it has identified 132 shelters and has allocated $32.3 million to clean the most critical drains and gullies in preparation for what is expected to be a very active hurricane season. The disclosure was made by deputy mayor, Andrew Swaby, at Tuesday’s monthly meeting of the council at its Church Street, downtown Kingston, headquarters. Read more 12-6-2013 ||UNEP CEP celebrates World Envirornment, Oceans days Last week the world commemorated two events which were very important to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) — World Environment Day, on June 5 and World Oceans Day on June 8. The themes for this year urge global collective responsibility in reducing global food waste and protecting the ocean.short by two thirds. Read more 3-5-2013||Scientists continue search for life on Caribbean Sea floor A team of oceanographers and astrobiologists in the United States is continuing their “systematic” exploration of one of the deepest points in the Caribbean Sea, searching for life in extreme seafloor environments. Read more
Content Administrator, CIPORE Caribbean Energy Information System (CEIS), Scientific Research Council (SRC), Hope Gardens, Kingston 6, Jamaica W.I. 876-927-1779(w) | 876-977-1840(f) | ceis@src-jamaica.org www.ceis-caribenergy.org www.src-jamaica.org