Among the Caribbean islands, since Aug 2008, a proposal has been circulating to generate electricity using clean
renewable energy. May 2009, strategies were added, to the earlier proposal, to
strengthen reliability and save years engaged in critical research. July 2016,
a new proposal was disseminated based on another source of clean renewable
energy. And now, the intention and future strategy is to combine the generating
models and make it cost effective with the shortest investment repayment period. It is fully understood, that laws are in place to prohibit the
commercial generation and Sale to the National Grid of electricity other than
by or with the written permission of the parliamentary appointed entity.
Therefore, financing any clean energy proposal of any size requires legal
amendments and executive action.
The proposal was
first based on wind energy, using turbines powered by atmospheric motion into
electricity. The major concern, at that time, was location, requiring years of
wind studies and bird migrations, to guarantee minimum wind speeds and evaluate
effects on wildlife populations.
The proposal was
further modified to locate these large turbines offshore, where the wind motion
has been already measured, by sailing crafts, along particular routes, for many
years. Hence eliminating lengthy and costly studies to forecast wind speeds.
The proposal was also then adjusted to use wind turbines that were re-designed
to be driven, if wind speed felt below a set minimum, using steam, fired and connected
to existing natural gas distribution lines. Hence, guaranteeing annual outputs
power by wind and a small amount of natural gas.
A separate
proposal was written to generate electricity powered by sea currents or ocean
tides. Turbines, similar in size
and output to wind driven generators can be adapted to work underwater, driven
by these tidal motions. Tidal turbines anchored to the sea bed and blended into
the ocean's ecology; not to disrupt tourist diving, ocean freight, or damage
the fish stock, the coral and sea plant life, with scheduled routine
maintenance, to minimize environmental impact and protect the reliability of
electricity supply. Such an underwater farm of generators will also free up
very valuable and limited land space on such island nations.
Allowing the existing power generation plants to live out its useful
operating life, in many cases 10 to 30 years, may not be the best decision for
the environment or for the nation's budget. The current proposal combines
floating wind turbines, with natural gas power capabilities, and tidal turbines
built and position to produce its projected output, with low scheduled maintenance
and repair cost, realized by crews on floating platforms. Financing
such a transformation, from fossil fuel fired generators to renewable energy
driven turbines, must be seen in terms of its savings. Consider the cost in
foreign currency that would be used to purchase fuel on the international
market as a non-producer, or as a producer consider the revenue that could be
earned from the sale of fuel not used internally, both as a direct result of
this transition.
This also seems to be a very practical way to meet and surpass a self-imposed
target of generating over 20% of electricity needs from renewable energy by the
year 2020.
Rationale
T.A.J
& Associates Company Limited uses this occasion to
comment on topics that have been covered, both academically and by the
mainstream media, to add its opinion and point out investment opportunity, not
to invoke any social action.
