L-R: Andrew Gittens, Hal Hunte, Hallam Edwards, Hutson Best, Peter Williams, Stephen
Worme, Keith Richards, Hartley Richards, Tony Watkins
In our January 28, 2008 article, Barbados Light & Power (BL&P) Currently Reviewing Rate Structure, we asked Chief Marketing Manager Stephen Worme to answer some questions about the BL&P’s energy policy, specifically as it related to pursuing alternative sources of energy. It is no secret that at BU we hold the view that the onus should NOT be on the Barbados Light & Power (BL&P) to lead the national strategy to discover alternative sources of energy because there is an obvious conflict of interest. The BL&P price model is built on the basis of oil being a raw material and the system of passing-on the cost of the oil component of the energy bill to the Barbadian consumer makes it a winning arrangement for the BL&P.
Let us hasten to add that the BL&P cannot be blamed for the current arrangement. The lack of a visionary energy policy through the years has ensured that BL&P has had to resort to its own policy initiatives to build the stable power supply which Barbadians have become accustomed; some might say that we have taken it for granted. In is known that several companies in Barbados do not have UPS or generator back-up systems for the simple reason that the power supply is always close to 100% uptime. A perusal of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) manifesto makes a cursory mention of transferring 50% of current electricity consumption to solar. This is a laudable and forward thinking objective and we hope that the new Minister of Energy, Darcy Boyce, will be able to deliver on this aggressive election promise. Our recollection of political parties keeping promises made in their manifestos is not good!
In our previous article a commenter suggested that geo-thermal power is one alternative which the BL&P should pursue:
We read in the Internet press, not the local press, that Nevis is about to bring on-line a new geothermal power plant that will result in a major reduction in power costs and hence bills, and will allow them to sell excess electrical power to nearby islands via undersea cables. Rather than wasting money on “feel good” projects like a windmill, BL&P should go across the water to our nearby neighbours that are hot and get into the geothermal power business. It is entirely clean, would provide power to many islands (including us) via undersea cable, and allow the growth of industries that produce goods with a high added value from energy input. Geothermal power is extremely cheap, the technology is off the shelf, and it is quick and easy to do. Nevis is starting now and will be on-line by mid-year. Windmills produce some of the most expensive power in the world because they produce only when the wind is blowing, so conventional back-up is needed for calm days. The capital invested in the back-up is more than the savings from the free power source. Too, windmills are very noisy, producing a lot of very low-tone sound and vibration that is extremely unpleasant for neighbours. One has to ask if wind power is so good then why has the one wind generating station on the island been idle for donkey years? – TheWhiterabbit
Additional comments were made regarding other possible sources of energy which Barbados should pursue for example, solar and wind power. At BU, we believe a coherent energy policy to be critical to our forward development as a country and it prompted us to go back to the only source of expertise on the subject of electricity that we know about in Barbados, the Barbados Light & Power.
In an exclusive exchange with the Barbados Underground, Chief Marketing Manager of the Barbados Light & Power company sought to answer the concerns of the BU family, here is a full print of his submission (headings and colour have been added by BU):
Our generation planning process takes into account many factors and aims to select the plan that has the lowest overall cost to the island for a given level of reliability. A detailed expansion plan is developed every three to five years (and before any major expansion is carried out) and reviewed annually. In this process, we consider technologies used for electricity generation, which are commercially proven, are available to us, meet the requirements for reliability and are applicable to our environment.
Wind
After choosing the technologies to be considered we look at our growth expectations and issues that will impact on this, develop different scenarios, cost them and select the least cost plan for the country. Wind energy is economically viable today based on fuel savings alone. With regard to the proposed wind farm at Lambert’s, St Lucy, our feasibility study confirms that a wind farm at this location is a viable option for us at the present and future expected prices of oil. However, we would agree that wind energy will contribute only a small amount of our total energy needs, because of the limited number of suitable sites on the island.
Wind does have its challenges. In our feasibility study the need for back up power because of the variation in wind speeds was taken into account and it still proved to be viable. Several of the concerns expressed about this project are as a result of the experience of the previous wind turbine which was installed at this location in 1982. Wind turbine technology has advanced substantially since then and many of the issues, including noise, are no longer a factor. We have prepared an Environmental Impact Assessment Study for this project. This has been submitted the Town Planning Department and we are awaiting their decision. For information on our EIA you can refer to the following on our website.
Natuaral Gas & Hydro-power
There are other projects such as natural gas from Trinidad and hydro-power from Guyana that are being proposed and these too will be considered once proven to be viable. The natural gas project appears to be a viable option and we are actively pursuing this initiative.
Geo-thermal
With regards to the suggestion that we consider geothermal energy that could be produced in the other islands, such as Nevis, as far as we are aware there is no extensive use of geothermal energy in the islands as yet. Information from the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s website suggests that, while production from geothermal sources may be cost effective, this may not prove to be economical source for Barbados as the power would have to be transported to us via submarine (undersea) cable which for the size and length of cables that would be required would be prohibitively expensive. In addition to this, back up generation would be required just as it would be for wind and solar installations, to cater for situations where power could not be provided, either due to the unavailability of power from the geothermal plant or failure of the cable. Information on the geothermal energy can be obtained from the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s website.
Solar
Solar power is a technically viable technology and we are presently testing two 2 kW grid tied photovoltaic solar systems ourselves. The results so far have been positive. However, solar panels and the associated equipment are still quite expensive and is not yet cost effective for us to use for central electricity generation nor for many customer applications. However, some customers have expressed an interest in installing these systems and we are presently reviewing the technical standards and commercial requirements for interconnection, including the appropriate metering arrangements. In our view, the development of solar power will depend on several factors, including the price of fuel, the reduction in price of the solar power systems, Government’s energy policy and the environmental consciousness of the society. For information on prices of Solar Systems you can refer to the website.
Summary
In summary, we are quite open to the use of different technologies, each having its own benefits and risks, as long as they are determined to be in the interest of the country and our customers, and the necessary regulatory approvals can be obtained. It is not a question of one technology versus another but what is the appropriate mix of technologies for the country. Just as investors may have a portfolio of investments to minimize risks, utilities need to identify an appropriate portfolio of generation technologies that balances the multiple criteria of cost, reliability, security and environmental protection. We will continue to work with Government and other stakeholders to achieve the best balance for Barbados.
Thanks for the opportunity to share this information with you and your readers.
From the response given by BL&P they seem to be up to date with the several technologies which are suggested as alternative sources of energy in the Barbados context. What is missing, as we alluded to before is the lack of a national energy policy. Successive governments have failed Barbadians in this regard. Barbadians are fortunate to have an electric company which has been blessed with good management and which has manifested itself in a world class service. Regrettably because oil remains the key raw material for generating electricity in Barbados the time as come to re-configure our electricity supply in the face of a volatile market for oil.
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