Business View Caribbean - November 2015 17
The Government is aiming to make Jamaica the
leading country in the Caribbean in the use of re-
newable energy, while significantly reducing energy
use across the public and private sectors.
Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining,
Hon. Phillip Paulwell, cited the Wigton Wind Farm
expansion project in Manchester, work underway
in Clarendon to create the largest solar facility in
the Caribbean, as well as the transformation of Gov-
ernment agencies into energy efficient buildings,
as just a few of the measures being undertaken to
make this mission a reality.
He was delivering the key-
note address at the official
handing over ceremony for
energy efficient retrofits
at the Jamaica Information
Service (JIS) on Thursday
(October 29).
The energy solutions, which
include solar control film on
windows, cool roof solu-
tions, and overhaul of the air
conditioning (a/c) system,
were provided under the Energy Efficiency Conser-
vation Program (EECP), aimed at reducing energy
costs across the public sector.
JIS was among the first entities to benefit from the
EECP, implemented in 2011, through funding by the
Government in partnership with the Inter-American
Development Bank (IDB).
Minister with responsibility for Information, Senator
the Hon. Sandrea Falconer, in her opening remarks,
said she is proud that the government is leading by
example in the thrust to conserve energy. She noted
that public sector entities are responsible for almost
12 per cent of the country’s overall energy consump-
tion and the Government spends some $14 billion
annually to pay for electricity.
Ms. Falconer expressed the hope that this will be
reduced significantly with the implementation of
the energy conservation retrofits in all government
agencies. She noted that the energy efficiency proj-
ect is already bearing results, with the JIS having
reduced its energy consumption by 17.5 per cent.
In the meantime, Minister Paulwell said that every
single Jamaican can contribute to the mission to
transform the way energy is utilized in the country.
He noted that the Government now allows individu-
als, who are generating their own electricity to sell
the excess capacity to the national grid.
He expressed his pleasure at the development, stat-
ing that his dream “is to see Jamaica get to a place
where we are exporting solar panels.” Minister Paul-
well also said that Jamaicans should celebrate the
fact that “we are down from 40 cents per kwh to 24
cents per kwh for the price of electricity.”
