EDITORIAL - Plugging into the sun: the answer

Holy Trinity High School in central Kingston is reaping both financial and environmental rewards from the installation in August 2013 of solar panels. Electricity bills at the school have been slashed by half, the students have a hands-on educational tool where they can see science at work, and they now enjoy a clean source of renewable energy.

The Holy Trinity example was cited by Education Minister Ronald Thwaites as he made his contribution to the Sectoral Debate in Parliament earlier this week. He explained that the school, which falls within his constituency, received the panels from a private-sector group. Mr Thwaites said the installation of the roof panels enabled the institution to cut its consumption by 1,230 kilowatt-hours per month almost immediately.

The high cost of electricity supplied by the monopoly light and power provider, the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS), has been the subject of intense debate in the last few months as Jamaica searches for cheaper energy sources. For most businesses, high electricity bills are the bane of their existence. And this explains why there has been a surge of interest in renewable energy sources and the public interest in the proposed 381-megawatt power plant.

We urge the Government to quickly get back on track with this project to ensure that those now suffering under the US$0.42kWh supplied by JPS can get relief.

Baffling the mind

With Jamaica enjoying sunshine nearly all year round, it is baffling that more schools and businesses have not taken advantage of this source of energy. It is a fact that the initial outlay is expensive. In the case of Holy Trinity, it was $3 million, but the payback that was realised almost immediately makes it a worthwhile investment. Mr Thwaites also disclosed that the PetroCaribe Fund stands willing to assist schools with the installation of renewable-energy solutions.

Mr Thwaites wants to see many more schools equipped with solar panels in the future. Perhaps the Government should set the example by ensuring that all public buildings become more energy efficient and shake dependency on oil by exploring the various options in renewable energy that are available.

Our institutions of higher learning should join the campaign to find cheaper, alternative sources of energy by undertaking a greater level of research to determine how best the country can exploit its natural resources for energy.

Changing attitudes to the use of energy and the production of this vital commodity will likely take many years. We also suggest that, as an incentive, the Government should consider providing schools with renewable-energy grants so they can undertake energy-saving projects. These actions will contribute to tremendous savings to the Government in the long run.

One more thing, Holy Trinity should now use this opportunity to offer renewable-energy vocational courses to provide students with new skills that are likely to grow in demand as more people come to understand the importance of reducing greenhouse emissions.

It is hoped that the success of Holy Trinity will provoke a wave of interest among other schools in the country.

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