Dennie Quill, ContributorLAST WEEK I handed over $3,000 to the service attendant for a full tank of gas. That is the most I have ever paid. At current rates it will cost roughly $144,000 to keep my vehicle running for the year. Amazingly, none of my colleagues appear to be bothered about this or the indirect costs such as electricity bills that we face as a result of the escalating price of oil. It's alright for the business operator who can pass this cost on to the consumer, but what of persons with fixed salaries who are unable to squeeze out another dollar from their employers? They are the ones who feel the greatest pinch in their wallets.
Frankly, as I watch events in Iraq and the Middle East I am worried, very worried. And I have made a decision to change my pattern of consumption and implement actions which will ensure that I save energy and slash my costs. For example, if I am visiting someone I make sure he or she is at home before I set out, or if I am going to make a purchase I call ahead to find out if it is in stock. Small things for sure, but I am confident they will help me. Now I have also calculated whether the special at shop A is worth pursuing when I am required to use more than $500 in gas to get there.
Like many other countries, Jamaica is extremely dependent on imported oil for its energy and no one appears to be treating the demand and supply of energy with the urgency it deserves. Our dependency on imported oil has not become a major talking point in our Parliament and so the appetite for energy continues to rise. Unlike us, many other countries are seriously looking at ways to halt wasteful use of energy, introducing more incentives to reduce consumption as well as encouraging the development of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. What of the national energy policy?
NATIONAL ENERGY POLICY
Now more than ever we need to engage the country in the details of a comprehensive national energy policy. I am surprised that bodies like the PSOJ and the respective chambers of commerce have not been pressuring Government to introduce meaningful incentives to reduce consumption and to move ahead with the necessary commitment to research and development of alternate sources of energy.
Energy cost is a huge inhibitor to competitiveness. Industries and households are powerful consumers of energy. Take hotels, as an example. Visitors tend to leave electrical appliances and lights on, they are on vacation, and it's not their home, so what the heck? But a gentle reminder that they should help Jamaica by turning off their lights may help. Jamaica should be on a campaign to reinforce conservation messages by telling consumers how much they save by turning off their water heater after use, or switching off a fan when leaving a room, or turning off the computer when not in use.
The man-made windmills, modernly called wind turbines, that dot the ridge tops in Manchester are a good example of what many other countries are doing to shake their dependency on oil and find renewable energy sources. Europe produces three-quarters of the world's wind-generated power, with Germany leading the way. The operators of the Manchester plant have made an excellent start and from all reports even though there are no great batteries to store the power produced through wind generation, the potential for wind power is great. And if it can work in Manchester, surely there are other places in Jamaica where it could be tried. If we mean business, then someone should be busily plotting wind data across the island to determine where there are wind resource sites so that we can start other projects.
Then there is solar energy. At one time there was a huge buzz about the benefits of this source of clean energy. I believe persons were given incentives for installing solar heaters. I am not sure whether these are still in place. But again I hark back to the need for leadership in all things. The Government should be setting an example by installing solar heating in many of its buildings as well as encouraging its use in its housing projects. Architects should be encouraged to design for daylight to cut the dependency on artificial lighting.
The Ministry of Energy should be out front demonstrating how we can develop and implement strategies for improving energy efficiency in all aspects of our lives. Government buildings, including hospitals, should be undertaking energy audits to identify primitive equipment and machinery which could be replaced in order to drastically lower energy and operational costs. The evidence suggests that we have no oil deposits, so it is imperative that we learn to curb our appetite for energy. The message has to be firmly fixed in people's minds.
Dennie Quill is a veteran journalist who can be reached at denniequill@hotmail.com
