St. Maarten Private Eye

I don't really have the time this week to write a long post on this issue, but I would like to refer you back to a post I wrote a few months ago entitled SXM and Global Warming - What can we do?. In there you will find a section about energy.

Solar is an attractive and increasingly financially viable option.

Cloudy Germany unlikely hotspot for solar power - 24th August 2007

I could give a dozen links showing how home solar systems are growing more widespread and attractive. However the main attraction and a vital point to it's success is the ability to connect these systems to the grid. When you use more you take and pay, when you use less you get credit. GEBE could lead the way and my previous post explains the way I see it could happen and be financially viable.

A forward thinking govt could also start making regulations for new homes and developments, making such solar systems a requirement.

As for wind turbines. Your argument that we don't have the qualified people to run and maintain them is sort of like Roy Marlin saying GEBE staff are not capable of running a water plant. You are right only in that we are not talking about a nuclear plant here. I think you will find that there are many green companies and banks willing to invest in such projects, with trustworthy and progressive governments of course. I think full training and a maintenance program would be part of the package.

Most importantly, I want to mention energy conservation. The fact of the matter is that we, the present living members of the human race, are living beyond our means and we and our children are one day going to be paying for it.

Drive past the airport one night when it is closed and note the energy being wasted on a building all lit up, inside and out. I bet the bloody airconditioners are running too. Did you know that the rain falling on that huge roof (perfect for a solar system) runs down a drain into the lagoon? Drive past in the day time and note the sprinklers in the greenery, water that is losing GEBE and us, the island community, tens of thousands of dollars a month. The same with the harbor, lit up all night with floodlights, even when closed.

I say there are solutions, for those who want to find them. None of them are cheap in the short term, but I am not thinking short term here. Sadly our politicians and leaders do. Of course, we could just wait for the $10 liter and power cuts and price rises to kick in, which they will eventually, the move to go green and conserve will be forced upon us anyway. Probably too late to make much difference though.

If I recall correctly, the UK Stern report stated that spending now to prepare for and reduce the global warming crisis will cost 10% of what we will have to pay if we do nothing. SXM is small, but morally, as a community we are obliged to be part of the solution along with hundreds of thousands of other small communities around the world. Maybe it's just me that thinks that way?

Caribdude

The cost would be just disproportiate;

If they cannot make money on it in the industrialized countries with the pool of engineers they have how do you expect it to make money here;

It is hard to find a person that can install Windows XP on your computer; let alone someone whole climb a windmill and do complicated repairs

Gebe power plant currently has capacity of approx. 75 Mw and additional capacity is required. To give you an idea what we are talking about if you want to switch to wind energy completely, take a look at the informative website of Holland newest wind park under construction Q7 with a capacity of 120 Mw.(in English) It is currently being built about 23 km2 of the coast and should be commissioned in 2008.

For the lazy bums that don't want to explore that site, here is some data:

Wind turbines: 60 Vestas V80 wind turbines of 2 MW each
Capacity: 120 MW
Water depth: 19 - 24 meters
Distance from shore: 23 kilometers
Surface area: 14 km²
Hub height: 59 meters
Rotor diameter: 80 meters
Start construction: Second half 2006
Commissioning and start production: First quarter 2008
Annual power production: 435 GWh
CO2-emissions avoidance: 225.000 tonnes/year
Enough to power: 125.000 households

Total cost is 350 million Euro. When you consider the above data, the challenges we face are many. First, we don't have enough empty land left for even a park half the size so we must either built in the seas or confiscate Statia and run a cable. If we built in the seas, depth is a problem if we want to create distance from our shores to avoid visibility. It is not a pretty sight for the tourist. Depth will drive up the cost. Finding the financing for a project of this magnitude will also be extremely hard. Wind energy is certainly an option for other countries. Unfortunately, I don't see it happen for Sint Maarten anytime soon.

I am not suggesting that all energy requirements can be produced with one alternative like wind. I am arguing that a combination of solar roofing (with grid connections), a few wind turbines and possibly wave power, coupled with real energy conservation policies would go a long way to making SXM more energy self sufficient and less reliant on oil. I would make a guess that energy usage on SXM could be reduced 20% or more with education, policies and just plain common sense.

Some say wind turbines are unattractive, I actually find them graceful and futuristic, which sort of inspires hope in me for mankind. I often wonder why so many people stop at Harrold Jacks for the view, all I see is a dirty smelly and very smoky power plant. I think it would be very interesting to determine the health of all those who live around and downwind of it. A dozen wind turbines a few miles out at sea would be much more attractive to me.

How about Isle Forche, the Groupers, Hen and Chicks, Guana Rock, Tintamarre? I would like to refer you to the MOU signed last year by GEBE with the power companies of the French side, St. Barths and Anguilla.

Plan to connect islands’ four electricity plants ~St. Maarten, St. Martin, Anguilla sign MOU - 11th April 2006

I wonder how that idea is progressing. Should they not also be working together to find solutions and alternatives for power generation too?

World Faces Oil `Supply Crunch' After 2010, IEA Says - 9th July 2007

Oil and gas may run short by 2015, say industry experts - 22nd July 2007

Caribdude

How about upgrading bus sizes and forcing the bus drivers to put in place a real comprehensive system serving all areas on a regular basis. Whatever happened to that color coded system Laveist was muttering about? Upgrading the bus sizes and having them all run on used cooking oil from the numerous fryup establishments on the island would be a good idea.

Vegetable oil used as fuel - From Wikipedia

How about taxi cabs with meters, so they are affordable and provide a service to regular people, it seems to me that taxis are not really interested in local business. Licence the Gyspy drivers and make them use meters. I would use them, especially when going to town, I mean, where you going to park anyway?

Or how about putting taxes on vehicles like Hummers, nothing Dumber than a Hummer as they say. I heard from a Brit recently that the little old ladies in the UK wiggle their little finger at them as they go past, implying the driver has a small manhood problem, or small mind perhaps. Or how about promoting hybrids, a small island like SXM is an ideal place to introduce electric and hybrid cars.

Paying close attention to new technology can be very helpful.

The Air Car - VIDEO!

Hady