Caribbean News Now!

by Rodger Hutchinson

KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) -- As the Jamaican government continues to encourage investment in renewable sources of energy, private interests are being urged to consider wind energy as a lucrative area for investment.

"We are trying to encourage private players, not just government, to actually go into this as a business, because we believe that it is attractive enough for a company to make a return on their investment,” said Minister of State for Science, Technology, Energy and Mining (MSTEM), Julian Robinson.

"The government took the lead and established the Wigton Wind Farm in Manchester, which is actually doing very well and provides significant power to the grid," he said.

The government is undertaking a wind mapping study to determine wind blowing patterns and the optimal sites for situating wind farms across the island.

"For a company to come into Jamaica they need to determine the areas that are ideal for them to establish these sites, so the wind mapping study is something we have undertaken. It’s a critical component of our renewable energy strategy," Robinson said.

He noted that “not every location that is windy or has a strong gust of wind is suitable, and if the flow is inconsistent, then the output from the (wind) turbine is inconsistent, and it affects the grid's stability and its delivery."

Investment in wind energy is in keeping with the National Energy Policy, which seeks to provide the framework for the sustainable development and management of viable renewable energy resources to reduce the country’s dependence on imported oil for fuel. Last year over $191 billion was spent importing oil for the country's energy needs.

Using wind turbines for the generation of electricity enhances the country’s drive for clean energy. It also reduces the emissions from burning traditional fuels and lowers the country's carbon output.

Renewable energy is expected to represent some 20 percent of the country's energy mix by 2030.

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