Wigton Windfarm Inches Jamaica towards 2030 Renewable Target in Energy Mix – Joe Issa

Wigton Windfarm Inches Jamaica towards 2030 Renewable Target in Energy Mix – Joe Issa As environmental advocate Joe Issa continues to urge world leaders to cap global warming lower to spare Jamaica and the Caribbean from catastrophe, the Cool Corporation head says he is pleased that Jamaica is playing its part by implementing renewable wind energy sources, citing the latest 24 megawatt expansion of the Wigton Windfarm, which he says is another small but vital step towards achieving 30% renewable energy balance by 2030.

“When you are asking for favours it’s good show that you can help yourself too; that’s how I see the role of Wigton Windfarm as we plead to 195 other nations, especially the large and powerful ones to commit to reducing global warming,” Issa states, adding, “I think the company has an excellent progrmme of delivery and should be commended, especially parent company Petrojam.”

Wington Windfarm was established in 2004 and launched its first, a 20.7 MW generating facility and in 2010 constructed another 18MW, totaling about 63 megawatts of electricity which is sold to the national grid, from their wind farm in Rose Hill, Manchester.

Issa, who is the largest indigenous distributer of petroleum products in Jamaica, had earlier advocated for the authorities to increase their 2030 target of 20% renewable in the country’s energy mix, to 30%.

In June last year, Issa said that “the authorities should be encouraged to revise upwards, the 20% renewable energy target for 2030, since Jamaica is well on track to achieve it.” The information then was that sub-targets of 11% by 2012 and 12.5% by 2015 were on track.

He said Jamaica is replete with wind and sun, which offer the most potential for clean energy, lamenting, “We have become too dependent on expensive oil imports, and for too long, we need to rapidly reduce our dependence on fossil fuel by aggressively expanding alternative energy sources.”

Issa urged then, “in this regard it is commendable that the authorities have removed all taxes on solar systems to encourage private sector investments and have set up a low interest loan facility at the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) to facilitate investors.”

He also noted in the article that “it was wise of the government to have made it possible for alternative energy producers to sell any excess to the national grid, in respect of which some 170 licenses have already been issued.”

Later in an August there was an article calling for investment in renewable energy, Issa said that “despite being in the petroleum business I believe that oil will remain too expensive for Jamaica’s relatively low export earning to afford; its detrimental impact on the environment is unsustainable; and one day deposits will run out, but long before this

happens, Jamaica needs to embrace clean energy as the inevitable saviour from environmental degradation.�

Issa also called for investment in the “research and development of gargets that can make it easier, cheaper and more convenient to harness energy from the sun, and while businesses and cars will benefit from these gargets, it will bring relief to a large number of rural Jamaicans who are without proper means of lighting and cooking.�