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Uptake of Solar PV in the Caribbean & its potential
role in reducing disaster risk David C. Smith & Corrinne Graham Institute of Sustainable Development, The University of the West Indies & Graham
International Consulting and Research Inc.
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Caribbean Context
• Average energy costs in the Caribbean vary from 0.05 to 0.43 US$ /kWh but average at US$0.33 – A deterrent to economic growth, but shortens
payback time for alternative energy • Natural Hazards, mostly cyclones, cause a
high loss of life and economic damage. – After an event there is frequently a loss of
energy even for some lifelines
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Caribbean Context
• A strong interest in “going green” probably driven by high dependence on imported oil – Grenada: 8% have no access to electricity, 99%
of electricity comes from imported fuels customers pay $0.40/kWh (Thomas 2014).
– Plans to increase renewables to 20% by 2020, focussing on geothermal, wind solar & OTEC (ibid).
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Caribbean use
• Caribbean Renewable Energy Development Program
• Financed by Germany, GIZ • Links to 10 online plants in 3 countries
– Barbados (3 plants 227 kWp) – St Lucia (5 plants 48.8 kWp) – Grenada (2 plants 22.3 kWp)
• http://www.credp.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=74&Itemid=37
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Jamaican Context
• There is a national energy policy and a renewable energy policy
• 91% of energy from imported sources • Target of 20% renewables by 2030 • Expected 71,677MWh by 2015/16 • No import duty on panels, LED lights etc. • Net billing policy • Initial cost barrier
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Jamaican Context
• Net Billing costs USD750 to join the program plus a deposit of 3 months electricity bill.
• IDB study recommends that Jamaica is a favorable location for solar if net metering is used (net billing is current practice).
• The utility is a monopoly and strongly opposed to net metering
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Recommendations (IDB report) • **Portmore, and Jamaica at large, is suitable for a
PV power plant • Such PV systems will reduce dependency on
traditional power plants and result in savings for the end consumer.
• Crystalline silicon module, either Mono or Multi crystalline cells are recommended for rooftop systems for residential and commercial.
• Thin film modules can also be used if there is space on the roof and is recommended where there is an unavoidable partial shadow on the installation area.
** a dormitory suburb of Kingston pop.>250,000
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Recommendations (IDB report)
• PV rooftop systems for residential and commercial establishment are techno- economically feasible with net metering.
• PV systems in Jamaica presently cost considerably more than other parts of the world. Government should provide incentives and policies to reduce cost.
• A 1MWp PV grid plant could be established for a housing scheme & is technically and economically viable with a government supported tariff.
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Use in Jamaica
• Hotels • Commercial • Industrial • Academic: new
construction on University of the West Indies: residences & teaching
• Residential – Richmond Estate
(street lighting) – Discovery Bay Villas
(all needs) – Individual private
homes • Hospitals, Schools and
other government buildings
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Installations
• Grand Palladium Hotel: 1.6MW Cat 4 hurricane resistant (1,000 rooms) 100% ROI in 4.5years.
• Digicel Headquarters 14,000 sq m (also has a 492 MWh solar cooling plant) Caribbean and pacific headquarters
• Richmond Housing estate, street lighting (700 houses)
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Grand Palladium Hotel
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University of the West Indies
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PV for a group of villas on the north coast
http://www.apsja.com/
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Solar in Hospitals
• PV – Cornwall regional 3 KW – Princess Margaret 2.5 KW – At Ann’s Bay 2.7 KW
• Water Heaters – A total of 41920 litres/11074 gal over 7 Hospitals
• Much installed under a UNDP-Government project.
http://www.pcj.com/dnn/RenewalEnergy/Solar/tabid/113/Default.aspx
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Disaster Risk
• Generators are a good option but have problems, especially in coastal, remote or hilly areas: fuel, mobile, may flood in wet events.
• Solar PV (built to withstand the likely hazards) may be better for some applications and should be able to operate soon after an event.
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Solar after a Disaster
• Applications – Maintaining the vaccine cold chain (+35.6 to
+46.4ºF) – Refrigeration – Emergency lighting – Operating & Emergency facilities – Communications
• Hospitals and Clinics, especially rural areas
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Requirements • McCarney et. al indicate
that for solar to be effective in remote areas of developing countries requires:
(McCarney, S., Robertson, J., Arnaud, J., Lorenson, K., & Lloyd, J.
(2013). Using solar-powered refrigeration for vaccine storage
where other sources of reliable electricity are inadequate or costly.
Vaccine 31 6050– 6057)
• Sustainable long-term Financing
• Use WHO or UNICEF certified equipment & suppliers only
• Qualified professionals for design
• Qualified technicians for installation, repair and maintenance
• Continuous monitoring of temperature
• SOPs to deal with problems
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Problems household clients
• Up front costs are high • Despite high electricity costs, the return
period is still long, older persons may not invest.
• No readily available source of financing. • Lack of quality control and certification • So far only about 1% of households use PV
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Problems for the sector
• Few certified technicians • No certification programme • Little experience • More incentive required • Bureaucracy
(Lyn, D.,)
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Opportunities
• Certification training to international standards
• Installations for commercial clients • Installation within the health sector and
other Government agencies • Developing means of financing for
commercial and small scale clients (including residential).
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Opportunities
• Panel Manufacture – St Kitts has started a plant – Jamaica has indicated an interest in setting up a
plant • 60 million investment into Solar PV for the
grid (20MW). 20 year PP Agreement (pv magazine) signed between the JPSCo. And WRB Enterprise (a Tampa-based company).
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Opportunities. • Financing
– Intercontinental lending opportunities • Healthcare Management
– Operation Costs – Life Style – Economic Viability (Education/Job Opportunities) – Carbon Footprint – Strategic Partnership on Import/Export in
alignment with President’s proposed goal • Goods, Services and Skilled Resources
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Enabling Conditions
• IDB (Inter-America Development Bank) working with Japan and the Caribbean Development Bank to support expansion in the Eastern Caribbean currently there is a $15 million programme.
• The JPS CO will need to meet targets for renewables and is signing Power Purchase Agreements.
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References • Al Binger, Energy Efficiency Potential in Jamaica: challenges,
opportunities and strategies for implementation, ECLAC, Chile, 2011
• Inter-American Development Bank. Wigton Wind Farm Ltd. (2012). Feasibility Study of Solar Photovoltaic Facility for Portmore, Jamaica GRT/MC - 11800 - JA (JA - X1001)
• Jamaica’s National Energy Policy 2009-2030. Ministry of Energy and Mining
• Lyn, D. unpublished presentation to the American Chamber of Commerce in Jamaica.
• McCarney, S., Robertson, J., Arnaud, J., Lorenson, K., & Lloyd, J. (2013). Using solar-powered refrigeration for vaccine storage where other sources of reliable electricity are inadequate or costly. Vaccine 31 (2013) 6050– 6057
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References
• Kammen energy policy • Thomas, S.L. (2014) The political economy of
Transitioning to Green Economy in Grenada. in Transitioning to Green Economy Political economy of approaches in Small States. Smith, N., Halton, A. & Strachan, J. Eds. Commonwealth Secretariat.
• ECLAC estimates of damage
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