{41:29} Behold, there come seven
years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt:
{41:30} And there shall arise
after them seven
years of famine;
and all the plenty
shall be forgotten
in the land
of Egypt; and the
famine shall consume
the land;
{41:31} And
the plenty shall not be known
in the land
by reason of
that famine following; for it [shall
be] very grievous.
Genesis
41 vs 29 – 31
Jamaica, like most countries, is
also experiencing the throes of the Global Recession, now confirmed to have
been brought on by the bad decision making by Goldman Sachs, an investment and
banking firm that sold sub-prime housing loans and created a portfolio of such
toxic loans which is offloaded on Banks and mortgage companies. Like a house of
cards, the economy of the United States of America is so deeply interconnected
that it can easily fall if on card is pulled out. Worse, everyone’s greed
pulled them into the money mill and so when the United States of America fell,
the rest of the world fell with them.
Reduction in demand in goods from
the US also resulted in a reduction in trade and thus the demand for raw
materials. Which brings us right back to Jamaica and how we are connected,
which is by virtue of Tourism, Bauxite and Remittances all of which are
directly or indirectly connected to the American Economy and its demand for
such goods and services. Despite this, John Public is not interested in leaving
Jamaica, as everything here is nicer, crime not withstanding.
People expect that jobs should be
forthcoming in short order and the Government of Jamaica’s JDX (Jamaica Debt
Exchange), albeit branded a success and resulting in the required lower
interest rates as pointed out by Senator Audley Shaw, Minister of Finance, as
stated in the article “JDX
ends at 99 percent; Minister says thanks”, published Thursday, February 25,
2010, The Jamaica
Observer.
These lower interest rates, albeit
facilitating loans and borrowing for export, for which there seems to be a
trend for investors looking to capitalize on export as noted by the Jamaica
Exporters Association (JEA) President Titus Evans in the article “JDX
makes exporting more attractive”,
published Wednesday, April 21, 2010, The
Jamaica Observer.
But all this is now halted, as
their seems to be a reluctance on the part of JPS Co to liberalize the Energy
Sector as stated in the article "Paulwell
calls for number portability", published, Wednesday April 21, 2010,
Daraine Luton, Senior Staff Reporter, The
Jamaica Gleaner which would make it even more attractive to expand
businesses by borrowing loans.
With the risk of a double dip
recession as expounded by economist Dennis Chung in the article “RISK OF A
DOUBLE-DIP RECESSION?” published Friday,
September 18, 2009, contributed
by Dennis Chung, Business Observer, The
Jamaica Observer now obvious from the slower than expected recovery by the
United States due to their inability to reduce their dependence on oil which is
now rising in price globally, leaves Jamaica vulnerable.
Thus since Energy Sector
liberalization is nowhere on the horizon anytime soon, then my prediction of a
seven (7) year recovery is pretty much on track based on my rambling from my
previous articles. I do so hate it when the trends strongly indicate that I am
right yet again.
But there is hope. Already the USA,
with engineers in California’s Silicon Valley have begun thinking far ahead
into the future without oil and have already come up with practical applicable
technology that is not dependent on Fossil Fuels. The bio-fuels market has already begun to
move as stated in the article “'Green' gas and
diesel get boost in biofuels grant”, published December 4, 2009 12:33 PM
PST, by Martin LaMonica, CNET
News - Green Tech.
With the
breakthrough by venture capitalist K.R. Sridar, CEO of Bloom Energy in
developing what Leslie Stahl on “60
Minutes”, aired Sunday 21st February 2010 refers to as “the Holy
Grail” of Power engineering is a Bloom Power Server, a fuel cell technology
that is based on a semi permeable membrane made from pyrolized sand as
unraveled my
blog article entitled “The
Secret of the Bloom Energy Server unraveled - and can be locally Reverse
Engineered”.
The Bio-Fuel Industry is being
developed by the Americans as a long term strategy to wean the United States of
America from its dependence on Corn-based Ethanol. The Bio-Fuel Industry
involving fuels such as Anhydrous Ethanol, Methanol, Natural Gas, Methane,
Bio-Diesel and Synthetic versions of Fossil Fuels.
The Bio-Fuel Industry in general, specifically
as it relates to the production of Anhydrous Ethanol using sewage, and
pyrolized organic waste from any organic source as stated in the articles:
1. “Microbes to start
making ethanol, Chemicals”, published November 18, 2009 9:52 AM PST by
Martin LaMonica, CNET News – Green Tech
2. “Microbe converts
sludge into ethanol”, published Friday 11, December 2009, by Martin
LaMonica, CNET News – GreenTech
3. “Wood-chip ethanol
maker opens plant”, published October 15, 2009 7:50 AM PDT by Martin
LaMonica, CNET News – Green Tech
4. “A Forest epidemic
turns into Energy opportunity”, published April 7, 2010 2:04 PM PDT by
Candace Lombardi CNET News - Green Tech
Ditto for Bio-Diesel:
2. “'Green' gas and
diesel get boost in Bio-Fuels grant”, published December 4, 2009 12:33 PM
PST, by Martin LaMonica, CNET News - Green
Tech
3. “Researchers coax
bacteria to make Biodiesel”, published January 27, 2010 3:59
PM PST by Martin LaMonica.
Both must be accelerated. Additionally,
it has the benefits of being Sulphur content free, satisfying the requirements
of any Diesel vehicles coming to Jamaica.
Further investment in the Oil
Refining Industry in Jamaica will only deepen Jamaica’s dependence on Foreign
Imported Oil and would be out of step with Jamaica push towards breaking our
dependence on Foreign Imported Oil and reducing our Oil Bill before the year
2015 AD.
This is not my opinion, but the
advice of British Industrialists such as Sir Richard Branson of Virgin as
stated in the article “World
Faces Oil crunch by 2015”, published Sunday 14 February 2010, AFP, and the
IEA (International Energy Agency) as stated in the article “IEA
official warns of shrinking Oil Supplies: Report”, Sunday August 2nd,
9:04 pm ET, AFP, Yahoo! News, 2015
being the year when Peak Oil is slated to Occur.
But albeit all of these things are
good and well, John Public, who is not an American, is quick to note that to
produce Energy, you have to use Energy from some other source or risk violating
the Third Law of Thermodynamics.
Thus where is the Energy coming
from to Power all of these contraptions? Granted, in the case of the eSolar
plant, some of its own produced Power would suffice, with Fossil Fuel
generators initially needed to start the process. But the other projects
involving growing plants for fuel such as necessary for the production of
Anhydrous Ethanol, bio-diesel and other forms of renewable fuel require Power,
be in electrical form or self generated using generators, which is more
expensive of course.
Therein lies the dilemma for any
local entrepreneur willing to go into the production of bio-fuels: unless you
have economy-of-scale as in the case of First Solar as stated in the article “First Solar opens
utility-scale Power plant”, published December 21, 2009 6:48 AM PST by
Martin LaMonica, CNET News – Green Tech, the
production of any bio-fuel will drain land resources and be very expensive
without farming subsidies.
This is currently the case in the
USA, where farmers have been complaining that the use of corn to produce
Anhydrous Ethanol is impractical as it should have long weaned itself of farm
subsidies, which should be for farmers only. Even growing algae to feed to fish
to produce bio-diesel as stated in the article “PetroAlgae
signs deal with Indian Oil”, published November 5, 2009 6:55 AM PST by
Candace Lombardi, CNET News – Green Tech
This is going to prove impractical
as the fish require processing to make bio-diesel. I suspect that the people
involved in these ventures use the excuse that they are not using prime farm
lands as well as the fact that the price of oil will rise, making their product
which also would have a high pricing point, cheaper by comparison once
economy-of-scale kicks in. Simple as that.
But it seems a more long term
solution would be to develop low cost long term production of Hydrogen Gas and
move society towards a Hydrogen Economy by the development of a catalyst that
with Power from Solar, can be used to split Seawater, with the help of a
suitable catalyst into Hydrogen and Oxygen.
This product, called Brown’s Gas,
can be used in Fuel cells or even traditional Gas turbine generators, such as
those designed to use LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas) that can Power the above
processes and as such is most suitable that using Power derived from Fossil
Fuels.
The usage of LPG (Liquid Petroleum
Gas) to Power motor vehicles is nothing new, as this a fuel that is commonly in
use in the Dominican Republic. What is even more curious is that is that there
is a need for the usage of LPG, as the only market here in Jamaica is for
forklifts, which traditionally purchase their LPG gas cylinders for fuel from a
LPG Retailer. LPG an alternative fuel to gasoline and diesel that is not only
cleaner burning, but also cheaper as well, averaging about JA$50 per liter.
What is new to us Jamaicans is that
LPG usage may become more prevalent, if a small local transport company has their
way. Challenger Transport Company Ltd (926-6414) is a company more known for
the rental of buses and trucks has decided to launch the installation and
servicing of such units in Jamaica, after apparently having undergone two (2)
years of extensive training of its technicians to be ISO9001 certified to not
only offer the installation but the sole maintenance of the units based on the
presentation made on “Smile Jamaica Morning Time”, aired 8:15am March 16th
2010 on Television Jamaica, a
member of the RJR Communications Group.
According to their presentation and
a subsequent call to the Marketing Manager, a Mrs. Valere, their system comes
with a switch that allows the engine to toggle between using the LPG and the
regular vehicles fuel and is compatible with vehicles older than 1986. Albeit
nothing new, all the learned John Public can say: why was this not implemented
earlier, as the Dominican Republic currently uses this alternative fuel?
Factor in the coming of LNG (Liquid
Petroleum Gas) soon to come to Jamaica as stated in the article as stated in the article “LNG
for Jamaica a national priority - Manning”, published Friday June 26, 2009,
The Friday Gleaner, by Linda Hutchinson-Jafar, Business Writer, The Jamaica Gleaner
Despite
the coming of elections in the Peoples Republic of Trinidad and Tobago called
by current Prime Minister Patrick Manning, as stated in article “Manning's
Big Secret”, published Wednesday April 14 2010, The Daily Gleaner, (CMC) The Jamaica Gleaner has decided to
call snap elections at an unknown date after declaration of “no confidence” in
his leadership by the opposition UNC (United National Congress).
This in what is being described by
the leader of the Opposition Kamla Persad Bissessar as the worst recession to hit the Twin Island
Republic of Trinidad and Tobago in years.
Then in the United States of
America, there is the Bloom Energy Server, developed by venture capitalist K.R.
Sridar, CEO of Bloom Energy on “60
Minutes”, aired Sunday 21st February 2010 is really the star of
the show as with time its hefty initial price tag for a 100 KW system mentioned
in the report of US$700,000 to US$800,000 for a full setup as stated by the
article “Bloom
Energy unveils fuel cell of the future”, published Thu Feb 25, 9:01 am ET by Glenn Chapman, AFP, Yahoo!
News will come down and make low cost Energy for any application a
reality both in the USA and Globally.
For now, low cost Energy is an
elusive dream than can be achieved but now can be attained, but if the Bloom
Energy Server is anything to go by, even after a critical analysis of its
functionality based on oxides as stated in the article “Parsing fact from
fiction with the Bloom Energy Box”, published March 1, 2010 11:11 AM PST by
Martin LaMonica, CNET News – Green Tech, it
still remains the true Holy Grail of Energy and for now is the brightest thing
to come out of Silicon Valley.
Thus combining the development of
the Bloom Energy Server and the current availability of cheap LNG for Jamaica
from both the Twin Island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago as well as LNG from
China and the Far East to supply the United States of America, which appears to
be the long term plan for the United States of America weaning itself from Oil
but keeping the Oil producers happy, may also play into the hands of advocates
such as my self, who have some time now been pushing for a Hydrogen Economy
This is a long term bet but a sure
bet, if every there was any, as we are alas headed into a period of sever
droughts and other strange weather based anomalies based on the phenomenon of
Global Warming that are sure to put pressure on Global Food Supplies. Despite
such naysayers as Dr. Ulf Bossel in his published paper entitled “Why a Hydrogen Economy doesn't
make sense”, published December 11 2006, PhysOrg.com,
states is the inherent “transportation problem” and the inherent energy losses
involved in extracting Hydrogen from Natural Gas or Seawater, even if Solar
Power is used.
Reasons often bandied about which
point to Hydrogen being an inefficient carrier of energy due its storage
problems, all that is needed is research to develop a means of extracting
Hydrogen in one single step from Seawater. The Government of Italy is putting
its faith in Hydrogen, with their construction of a Hydrogen Power Plant, the
first and only of its kind as stated in the article “Italy launches first clean
hydrogen Power plant”, published August 14 2009, AFP, Yahoo! News MILAN, Italy.
Meanwhile the United States of
America still dabbles with Fossil Fuel, its Achilles heel, with President of
the United States of America, Senator Barack Obama's attempts at restraining
the Oil Industry by having a six (6) month moratorium placed on Offshore Oil
Exploration as stated in the article “Obama: End
dependence on fossil fuels”, published Wednesday June 2010, By JULIE PACE,
Associated Press Writer, Yahoo! News.
Ironically, this is being hamstrung
by the very same American Courts, most likely on Big Oil’s payroll as stated in
the article “Judge
blocks Gulf offshore drilling moratorium”, published Tuesday June 22, 2010
By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN, Associated Press Writer, Yahoo!
News and confirmed by the article “Big Oil
Strikes Back, slams Obama’s drilling plan”, published June 22 2010 by JANE
WARDELL and JENNIFER QUINN, Associated Press Writers, Yahoo! News.
To be fair, Dr. Ulg Bossel’s
suggestion of adopting an Electron Economy is indeed more easily implemented
and desirable, not to mention more efficient and strides have been made in this
regard in the form of the Nissan Leaf as described in the article “Nissan Leaf projected
to be in the black”, published April 30, 2010 5:44 AM PDT by Reuters, CNET News - Green Tech as well as in the
article “Nissan
begins limited test-drives for Leaf EV” published June 11, 2010 6:32 AM PDT
by Reuters, CNET News - Green Tech.
Now with a noisemaker to make its
otherwise stealthy approach have a presence as stated in the article “Nissan Leaf brings
the noise”, published June 11, 2010 9:51 AM PDT by Wayne Cunningham, CNET Reviews
- The Car Tech blog. It is an all electric car, a car whose potential as a
consumer product to attract droves of followers similar to that of Apple and
its product cannot be underestimated, as battery powered cars are the future
and will be the wave of the future.
Apple
Engineers have mysteriously been filing patents to develop Solar powered
devices, possibly with the processor of these devices such as the:
1. Apple iPod
2. Apple iPod Nano
3. Apple iPod Shuffle
4. Apple iMac
5. Apple Mac Mini
6. Apple TV
7. Apple Macbook Air
8. Apple MacBook Pro
9. Apple
iPad, their latest toy
Possibly from ambient light of even
radiation from any part of the Electromagnetic Spectrum via the touch screen
display as stated in the article “Apple eyes gadgets
with built in Solar panels”, published January 22, 2010 7:46 AM PST by
Martin LaMonica, CNET News - Green Tech and
as further asserted in the article “Apple patent bid
combines solar with touch Screen”, published June 7, 2010 6:31 AM PDT by
Martin LaMonica, CNET News - Green Tech,
thereby in theory eliminating the battery charger from their devices
altogether.
This is an impressive leap forward
by Apple, and it is hoped that the development of these Solar powered devices
will result in a virtual extension of the battery time of these devices, and
bring the convenience of self-charging Solar Technologies, long being designed
for African countries with limited access to electricity, to Developed
countries with consumers willing to pay a premium for technology that basically
would cut the tethered electrical cord, still the last relic of an analog era
that most devices have yet to free themselves.
With an abundance of Water and
sunshine, as well as the availability of LNG and LPG, and the now ecological
disaster that is the Deep Horizon Oil Leak, now nine (9) weeks and three (3)
days since Tuesday April 20th 2010, when the Oil Rig of the coast of
Louisiana exploded, sank and is still spewing its Black Death into the ocean,
one is hard-pressed to understand the lack of research into the Hydrogen
Economy as the Seven (7) Years of Famine approaches………….
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