Ross Sheil, Staff Reporter
Senator Kern Spencer (second right), Minister of State in the Ministry of Industry, Technology, Energy and Commerce, views an exhibit at the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica's (PCJ) 27th anniversary celebration, Wednesday, at the PCJ's Trafalgar Road office. Looking on are Barbara Clarke (right), chairman of Petcom, Ruth Potopsingh, group managing director of the PCJ, and Karl James, chairman, Petrojam Ethanol. - JUNIOR DOWIE/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
PLANS FOR a regional centre of excellence for renewable energy to be established in Jamaica, this year, will be outlined in Parliament next week by Phillip Paulwell, Minister of Industry, Technology, Energy and Commerce.
Venezuela had agreed to provide grant funding for the centre as part of the Petrocaribe initiative when Mr. Paulwell put forward the proposal, last year. Further details will come in his budget presentation, on Tuesday.
WIND FARM
"I put it forward based on the work that we are already doing with renewable energy with Wigton (Windfarm Ltd.) and hydro that Jamaica be allowed certain resources through Petrocaribe to establish this centre where other countries should benefit from our training," he said.
To be coordinated by the state-owned Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ), the centre is expected to boost the target of 15 per cent of Jamaica's energy generation coming from renewable energy by 2012, as stated by the national energy policy green paper.
Wigton Windfarm Ltd., which has become the designated renewable arm of the state-owned PCJ, is currently conducting planning to double the capacity of its windfarm from 20 to 40 megawatts in addition to a prospecting hydroelectric power plant.
Meanwhile, Government is planning seminars islandwide to gain public feedback on the green paper. One was conducted on Monday, at PCJ's headquarters on Trafalgar Road, New Kingston, to coincide with its 27th anniversary. Other seminars are to be held in Montego Bay, Mandeville and Port Antonio.
National energy policy green paper
Government is encouraging members of the public to read and respond to the national energy policy green paper.
It can be viewed and responded to online from the Cabinet Office website: http://www.cabinet.gov.jm/
