The key stakeholder in the business of power generation and distribution in Barbados seems to agree that fossil fuel (including natural gas) is still the economical and cost effective approach available. This is a view that was shared by Chief Marketing officer Stephen Worme at a recent MESA meeting. The fact that this was the argument used when the price of oil was U$85.00 per barrel, the same argument is still being used even as the price of oil has hit USD140.00. One does not have to be a Einstein to conclude, as the price of oil rises, then the viability of developing solar energy as an alternative energy source becomes a logical argument.
A recent study (Utility Solar Assessment (USA) Study) in the USA has detailed a roadmap to chart the course in the USA which is expected to create 10% of solar energy by 2025. Interestingly the search for a viable energy alternative is being driven by the need to hedge against fossil fuel. The US pundits believe that the cost parity to generate solar energy for retail distribution will be achieved in less than a decade. We understand this to mean that the USA is building a back-up plan, and it makes sense!
Some of the findings of the summarized study appear to be relevant to Barbados:
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For utilities: Take advantage of the unique value of solar for peak generation and alleviating grid congestion; implement solar as part of the build-out of the smart grid; and adapt to new market realities with new business models. (The question is whether the Barbados Light & Power is fully on-board)
- For solar companies: Bring installed solar systems costs to $3 per peak watt or less by 2018; streamline installations; and make solar a truly plug-and-play technology. (We don’t have solar companies in Barbados. What can we do to substitute for this link in the chain?)
- For regulators and policy makers: Pass a long-term extension of investment and production tax credits for solar and other renewables; establish open standards for solar interconnection; and give utilities the ability to rate-base solar. (We have a new government who has been hinting their interest about alternative energy generation, Prime Minister David Thompson will have the opportunity in the upcoming budget presentation July 07, 2008)
Source: The Temas Blog
Another key finding coming out of the study which caused some consternation in the BU household indicates the future of a national solar energy plan is in the hands of the utility company i.e. Barbados light & Power (BL&P). Unlike the utilities in the USA, BL&P and the regulator i.e. government of Barbados seem not to be on the same page concerning a national energy plan.
For the first time in history, cost-competitive solar power is now within the planning horizon of every utility in the nation.
Alisa Gravitz, Co-op America executive director and USA Study project director
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Keith.
My sincerest apologies. I didn’t mean to hit such a nerve. I look forward to watching and being in awe of you accomplish amazing things…
Now, could you please speak to my post from 1817 today, speaking to your post from 1809?
As you may know (and for anyone who doesn’t know) single crystal silicon cells are made from the same “ingots” of purified silicon that many (but not all) computer chips are made of.
The next generation of chips, using optical properties are about ten years away according to IBM who are considered to most likely “first to market” with this technology.
This is significant because PV manufacturers (who make single crystal cells) buy the same ingots that the cell manufacturers buy.
You see Chris, Guyana has the world’s largest supply of the world’s purest (found to date) silica (sand with high silicon content) – and the idea was that since in ten years the manufacture of single crystal silicon will begin to dry up, to make the ingots ourselves, using old and well proven technology.
With profit margins of over 100% common for PV manufacturers (they’ve dropped now) the profits from the first would finance the second until it became profitable. Normally within five years.
PV panel demand is way above supply. therefore the price of your feedstock is irrelevant. Like oil to gasoline refining, you simply pass it on to the customer, who will pay because in places like California, where the laws mandate cleaner air by a certain date (think EU as well), the only way to be SURE of getting there is to use PV.
Nobody complains about “those dratted oil refineries” who pass on the high oil prices – no-one thinks twice about the PV manufacturers who pass on the high price of silicon.
Keith… so you’re supporting my argument that traditional silicon PV solar cells are extremely expensive, and increasing in price because of demand.
So I again put forward, what can Barbados do *now* which will have a meaningful effect, but which isn’t dependent upon materials and sources influenced by outside market forces?
(Hint: I’ve already defined this above….)
Now that I’ve calmed down (and I freely admit to being pretty pissed off) I’m not seeing those post numbers Chris is talking about (I’m using my old windows 98 computer while my wife and a guest use faster computers) – maybe I could switch to the Vista computer but I feel too lazy to get up.
Chris if you know how to bring up those post numbers let me know.
I’m assuming you mean your question as to why is the air-x the best.
Well, if you read the independent reviews, the air-x is a class by itself in three major things (and a lot of minor ones but . .)
1) Speed control. Gusts of wind produce nasty fluctuations in current in small windmills. Not with the air-x. This control also reduces noise.
2) Blade design. Several windmill designers use air-x blades to test the other parts of their scale windmills. Need I say more?
3) Built in charge controlling. Once it’s working properly, the air-x will never overcharge your battery.
I need to change the URL I gave before. I was in a hurry and I misread it. it should be
http://www.windenergy.com
My mistake.
The marine air-x is the most popular new windmill among sailors (in other words if you’re going to buy a new one). You rarely see used Air-x’s for sale. The sailors I talk to (sadly I never had time to learn – I love the sea) tell me you buy another brand only if you can’t afford an air-x.
There are other things like longest warranty, virtually maintenance free since only two moving parts, brushless alternator ( so no brushes to wear out); but you get the idea.
There’s a new one called the air breeze, but until it’s proven in the field I’ll stick to the air-x.
(Shudders as he remembers new Coke)
Let me know if you need to know more.
Chris,
change your thinking. The only thing you have complete control of, over which outside market forces have absolutely no control, is your thoughts.
Like the hospital there are things we can do in the short term, but these are not solutions. These are only band aids.
In our present thinking, the hospital is somewhere you only go when you have no other choice. Generally, a place to be avoided.
In our present thinking, energy is something we only think about in a crisis. Those of us in energy saw this coming and told those with and without power what to do. I wasn’t the only one saying “we need to change our lifestyles; we need to change our energy mix”. I was a very small voice among many.
So let’s repeat again. Anything you can do right now is a dressing on a wound. Our energy policy needs surgery and long term rehabilitation. Do you think Tiger Woods is NOT going to have knee surgery because it’s too expensive?
We have a country full of brilliant, experienced, powerful and yes even RICH people. Why think like Joe Blow when you’re Tiger Woods?
For those who don’t think so, I say it loud and clear. We are the Tiger Woods of small nations, whose game is suffering because our thinking, our policies our individual thinking needs surgery.
Let me say it again. There are no short term solutions. We need the surgery. What we can do right now is approach the massive changes we need with a an attitude that says
YES WE CAN!
Chris, even the copper wire we would need to connect to a power source that fell down from heaven – a power source given to us by God Himself – to the rest of the grid is influenced by outside market forces.
Change your this-is-so-expensive-it’ll-never-work thinking.
The first change must come from within us.
Then, a person could one day log onto the BL&P website, and see on that day, a particularly hot day, that real-time demand is within two percent of available supply. This person, having been educated like several others, does his r her part. They turn off their A/C and go and sit in the shade in the veranda – perhaps with a fan.
Because of new thinking, a couple thousand people do it and voila!
The day of nationwide blackout is postponed while we work on the patient.
It starts with each of us.
Keith… you misunderstand my argument…
Let’s just leave it there….
Let me be real direct here.
1) Educate yourself. Cheapest way to reduce your bill is not to add energy (e.g. buy a windmill) but to reduce your consumption (energy saving bulbs, turn off lights when leave room, smaller fridge, less or no A/C).
2) Decide what you can afford. Energy is expensive. Changing your habits even more so. For example, I am cheap. I call a spade a spade – I am as cheap as is practical. I own a motorcycle which gave me 74 miles to the gallon – it needs repairs at the moment. I have access to a car but I choose the bus. I do this even though it has a very high inconvenience cost – I have to rearrange my life around bus schedules and know first hand that buses do not always come. Only you can know what you can afford in both price and inconvenience.
3) Petition others, especially those who make major buying decisions to make changes. Try a few energy saving bulbs for example. Do we have to leave on every single light in a large office at night? Could we not leave on fewer lights in an attractive pattern?
4) Realise that real change in energy begins at a grassroots level but must culminate in change at the top. Business is reactive, not proactive. They react to legislation in most cases, not change before it happens. The car industry built SUVs because that’s what we as consumers bought. Now some dealers will not take a SUV as a trade in. Consumers will not buy SUVs now, so car manufacturers are building energy efficient cars. They are simply following their profits. If Toyota was truly pro-active they would not have run out of batteries for the Prius. But following profits (which is what their shareholders want them to do) they built only as many as they were absolutely SURE they could sell.
5) Realise the facts; PV production is now controlled by the Oil Companies. Every major PV panel manufacturer is now owned by an Oil Company. The panel shortage and super high price point is almost completely artificial. Also, chip makers are financing their R&D efforts into upcoming optical technology with artificial shortages of high grade silicon. Know also, that wind, CPS, nuclear, coal, geothermal, natural gas, traditional oil and hydro/mini-hydro all suffer from both NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) and PEST (Politics Economics Social Technology – in that order of importance).
6) There is a reason why every major utility in the world is installing or considering installing PV. Nothing else works on so many levels.
We listened with interest to the news today Chief Marketing officer Stephen Worme going public in his criticism of the Town Planning department over delays in responding to the application by Barbados Light and Power to operate a wind farm at Lamberts plantation.
Are we finally seeing a sense of urgency by our power plant?
On the off-chance that anyone follows this lead so late, there is a very cheap, very reliable, very clean, and essentially endless source of power available in the area. Geothermal is only 90 miles away, near enough to use. Don’t bother me with the geopolitics argument, just get CSME, and get real.
Keith, many thanks for the info. Will research it.
It would be good if GOB would allow the importation of these small wind turbines duty-free and VAT-free. Don’t know what BL&P would say to that, however. Monopolies hate competition.
The maverick and debonair billionaire plans to show the leaders in the Caribbean the type of energy plan which they should have been pursuing for years now.
really good