Companies Urged To Diversify and Improve Energy Efficiency

State Minister in the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Julian Robinson, is encouraging private sector companies to diversify their energy sources and become more efficient in their energy consumption.

This, he said, is in order to reduce the country’s huge energy import bill, which amounted to over US$2 billion last year.  “This exceeds all our exports as a country, and this is clearly not a sustainable strategy as a country,” he noted.

The State Minister was speaking at the recent commissioning of a solar system at the NCB Innovation Lab on Trafalgar Road, New Kingston.

Mr. Robinson stated that the Government is trying to lead by example and has set a goal of reducing consumption in the public sector by 30 per cent over a three-year period.

He noted that despite the price of oil being at the lower end in recent times, everyone should look to explore options for diversification.

“We can’t be complacent; we don’t know what developments will take place internationally that might drive up the price of oil again, so during this period, we have to continue to make the investments in both efficiency and also in diversification,” he said.

The State Minister cited three major projects that are being undertaken across the island, which will increase the generation of energy to the national grid from renewable sources.

These are two wind farm projects – one at Wigton, Manchester, and another in St. Elizabeth; and establishment of a solar facility in Clarendon, which is being touted as the largest of its kind in the English-speaking Caribbean.

The State Minister commended NCB on its solar project, noting that he is pleased to see that companies are looking to diversify their energy consumption.

He said the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) is also exploring diversification, noting that the company has recognised that “because the cost of electricity is so high, if their consumers can’t pay, then that’s bad for their business.”