Green Antilles

The government of St. Kitts and Nevis is turning to solar power as part of its effort to meet the goal of 60% energy generation from renewable sources:

The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis has taken a step forward towards realizing its policy of achieving 60% energy generation from green energy sources by 2015.

During a recent ceremony held at the Government Headquarters, 66 solar panels installed atop the building were activated for the first time, launching the Solar Panels Cooperation Project between St. Kitts-Nevis and the Republic of China on Taiwan. This means that Government Headquarters is now partially powered by solar energy.

According to Minister of Public Utilities and Works, the Hon. Earl Asim Martin, the newly activated panels will produce 100 kilowatts of energy daily from five hours of constant sunshine. This energy he said could be used to power some of the office equipment within the various departments housed at the Headquarters with the exception of air-conditioning units.

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Due to limited roof space at the Headquarters building for solar panels, the project is meant to be a demonstration. Solar panels will also be installed at the Taiwanese Demonstration Farm in Newton Ground; another area where benefits of solar energy can be demonstrated.

The development of the Solar Panels Cooperation Project came out of a visit to a solar power plant in Taiwan in March of this year by Prime Minster Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas and Minister Martin.

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Dr. Douglas informed that solar energy could also be utilized both commercially and residentially at a small cost.

“Although it is fully understood that using an energy system that fully utilizes energy produced by the sun would be very cheap on a monthly basis; it has always been a concern as to the initial capital cost home owners would be saddled with to install such a system,” he said.

“The average installation cost on a residential system is just approximately US$5 per watt of energy with an incredible life which extends beyond 25 years.”

According to the PM, at the current cost of electricity in St. Kitts a 1 kilowatt system for home owners would have a payback span of 2-3 years and would shave approximately US$1000 off the consumer’s electricity bills annually.

The Prime Minister stressed that “as a country we should do what we can to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels”. As such, he revealed that his government would soon bring before the Cabinet plans to give incentives for investments into solar panel systems to be used both commercially and residentially.

Read more in the full article from the St. Kitts-Nevis Observer.

Previously on Green Antilles: St. Kitts and Nevis aims for 60% increase in renewable energy and St. Kitts and Nevis alternative energy strategy.

In St. Kitts and Nevis, conservationist Lemuel Pemberton will be working to help local environmental groups access grants and other project funding:

Lemuel Pemberton of Nevis has been named mentor for the Federation to assist groups that need funding to conduct environmental projects through Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) and the MacArthur Foundation.

Pemberton said the purpose of the mentors is to help any organization that has an interest or stake in promoting environmental projects. ‘They selected a number of people as mentors to help fund groups with an interest in environmental issues, Mr. Pemberton said

As an example, he said the funds could assist a group that seeks to preserve a forest area or develop a nature trail from inception to completion.

Pemberton noted there are many foundations around the world that are willing to help financially when it comes to protecting the environment.

‘The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund has issued a call for proposals for islands in the Caribbean,’ he said. ‘They have US$275,000 to be shared between different countries.’

He said CEPF is willing to give grants of US$50,000 to US$120,000 for worthy projects that are reasonable and doable.

Source. As the founder of the Nevis Turtle Group, Lemuel Pemberton is one of Nevis’s leading conservation activists.

Towards the Sustainable Monitoring and Management of Coral Reefs in St.Kitts and Nevis.

Related: the website of the St. Christopher National Trust.

This week is Energy Awareness Week in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Here are some of the activities planned to mark the week in St. Kitts and Nevis:

The Official Launch of Energy Week will be held at the OTI Conference Room on Monday 7th November at 2 p.m.

On Tuesday 8th, Informational Display Booths will be mounted at several schools in their Libraries or Resource Centres to afford students the opportunity to learn more about all things related to energy.

Experts on energy issues will appear on various radio talk shows to engage the public on the issue of energy and related matters.

On Thursday 10th and Friday 11th November, students from St. Kitts will journey to Nevis and join their counterparts from that island to tour the geothermal and wind energy facilities in Nevis.

The Department of Energy also disclosed that there will be extended activities leading up to a two-day Energy Expo on December 1st and 2nd.

Numerous interactive booths will be mounted by the Department of Energy and renewable energy providers displaying energy efficiency products.

The Expo will afford the general public to meet all of the important players in the Energy Sector.

The public has been invited to be a part of a new movement to make St. Kitts and Nevis the greenest island in the Caribbean.

Source. Previously on Green Antilles: Energy Awareness Week in The Bahamas and CARICOM Energy Awareness Week.

A group of volunteers recently helped to clean the reef at Cockleshell Beach in St. Kitts:

The reef off of Cockleshell Beach can carry out its natural function much better, thanks to the inaugural Underwater Clean Up which formed part of this year’s national effort to clean the shores in St. Kitts.

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“At the edge of the reef, where the coral starts, we found plastic and cans,” revealed Graeme Browne [Conservation Officer at the Department of Physical Planning in the Ministry of Sustainable Development]. “So this refuse could not get over the coral to go out to sea, but at the same time it could not wash up on the shore. Not only is this unsightly but the marine life on the reef can become entangled in this and die.”

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“At this particular reef where we dived, there was a large population of juvenile fish in quite a few species,” Mr. Browne informed. “This tells us that it is a nursery for them and such requires a special balance. It would be a great misfortune if the bad habits of individuals disturbed this delicate marine environment. This could affect our supply of fresh fish, so our fishermen may be robbed of a livelihood and tourists who come specifically to snorkel would go to other islands. So it is up to us to dispose our garbage properly whether we visit the beach or go sailing and encourage others to do the same. I also take the opportunity to thank all who assisted with the Underwater Clean Up including the St. Kitts-Nevis Defence Force Coast Guard personnel, the Ministry of Agriculture for providing the onion bags and all volunteers.”

Get more information in the full article from the St. Kitts and Nevis Information Service.

[Photo: Susan Adams]

A video about the work and accomplishments of the St. Kitts Sea Turtle Monitoring Network.

Previous related posts on Green Antilles: In St. Kitts, concern about sand-mining’s impacts on turtle nesting, Ross vet school teams up with fishermen to protect turtles in St. Kitts, and Beach cleanup for leatherback turtles in St. Kitts.

Funding has been secured for the construction of a wind farm in St. Kitts:

Caribbean developer North Star has secured a $16.5m commitment from the US Overseas Project Investment Corporation (Opic) to fund construction of the first phase of the 5.4MW Belle Vue wind farm in St Kitts.
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Nevis-based North Star is building St Kitts’ first wind project in partnership with Mas Energy of Florida. It will be about 25%-financed via private equity investments.
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The wind farm has a 20-year contract with the recently-privatised St Kitts Electricity Department, and could be expanded to 20MW.

Like other small Caribbean islands, St Kitts is heavily dependent on diesel generators to supply power to its population of 35,000.

North Star – a former tourist resort developer that has moved into wind power – expects to break ground by the end of the year and power production to begin in the first quarter of 2012.

Read more in the full article from Recharge News.

Previously on Green Antilles: Wind energy for St. Kitts.

St. Kitts will be following in the footsteps of its sister island, Nevis, where a 1.1MW wind farm was commissioned about a year ago. The government of St. Kitts and Nevis is committed to expanding the country’s use of renewable energy.

[Photo: J. Stephen Conn]