Alternative Energy and the Caribbean - Peak Oil in 2015 and The Day After Tomorrow

I like little Pussy, her coat is so warm,

And if I don’t hurt her, she’ll do me no harm

Jane Taylor, I like Little Pussy

Sounds like me sweet baboo [Peanuts’ Charlie Brown impresario] Audia Granston on a day when she is not vexed that I burnt the food, wasting our 11 Kg Cooking gas attached to our stove. On that note, I segway to the recent rains brought upon us by Tropical Storm Nicole, with anticipations of more of the same as stated in the article “More rains threatens Jamaica”, published Wednesday October 6, 2010, The Jamaica Gleaner, which should bring back memories

Especially for those of us who experienced the terror of Hurricane Ivan (2004 AD) and the Water bearer that was Hurricane Gustav (2008 AD), none of which created as much havoc as this Noah’s Flood as stated in the article “Disaster deja vu”, published Wednesday October 6, 2010, Laura Redpath, Senior Gleaner Writer, The Jamaica Gleaner.

With more than ten billion dollars (JA$10,000,000) in damages island wide, two hundred (200) communities inundated and cut off from the rest of Jamaica, one hundred and fifty (150) unlivable abodes in various states of destruction and according to the above quoted article, thirteen (13) people dead and two (2) unaccounted for. This was on Wednesday October 6, 2010 AD – it is getting worse each day.

The figure of twelve billion dollars (JA$12,000,000,000) is now being bandied about in the media as stated in the article “Hefty repair bill”, published Monday October 4, 2010, The Jamaica Gleaner, along with calls from PNP quarters to use the JDIP (Jamaica Infrastructural Development Program) US$400 million dollars to effect repairs, counter to common sense, as a complete overhaul of infrastructure should also be a fix of problems, only this time at a higher standard.

Greek tragedy indeed; Jamaica the wind knocked out her (pun intended) by a mere Tropical Storm, and a “bad gyal” at that, named Tropical Storm Nicole to use our colourful Jamaican parlance at that.

Senator James Robertson, Minister of Mining and Energy, is now in the spotlight after the news broke of the White House going Alternative, with Solar Panels to be installed on top of the White House roof as of the Spring of 2011 AD as stated in the article “White House to install rooftop Solar Panels”, published October 5, 2010 5:19 AM PDT by Martin LaMonica, CNET News - Green Tech, specifically to generate electricity and provide hot water for the Executive Mansion, with intentions expressed by Energy Secretary Steven Chu, during his speech at the George Washington University to expand the Energy saving drive to the other Government Departments and Agencies via a competitive Energy audit process.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu announcement, a strategic move as opined by a Jamaican friend of mine who lives in New York, is not only a bid to save on Electricity and Water usage, but to push the rest of the country towards a more sustainable and less Arab Oil Dependent future. His words best describe his long term mandate: “Around the world, the White House is a symbol of freedom and democracy. It should also be a symbol of America's commitment to a clean Energy future”.

America, what more can I add or take from this?

Senator James Robertson, Minister of Mining and Energy drags his feet, apparently having not quite yet seen the challenge laid before him, despite having sounded his interest in using LNG (Liquid Natural Gas) as stated in the article “Government eyes LNG cure for Energy problems”, published Wednesday June 16 2010 by Laura Redpath, Senior Staff Writer, The Jamaica Gleaner, and the problems thus far encountered with allegations of underhand contract dealing as stated in the article “LNG drama raises more questions than answers”, published Sunday, June 27, 2010 BY AL EDWARDS, The Jamaica Observer.

The latest news folks: Jamaica is now on track; “US$3-B infrastructural upgrade coming with Natural Gas - Robertson”, published Sunday, October 03, 2010, The Jamaica Observer as per announcement at a luncheon celebrating Noranda Jamaica Bauxite Partners' first anniversary of operations in Jamaica. Senator James Robertson, Minister of Mining and Energy laid out the investment allocations, with:

1. Six hundred million dollars (US$600,000,000) for the LNG Infrastructure
2. Eight hundred million dollars (US$800,000,000) laid out to retool an make more efficient the Five (5) operational Alumina/Bauxite plants
3. Seven hundred million dollars (US$700,000,000) going to increasing the use of Renewable Energy sources, with the excess spillover capacity power going to the National Grid in one million
4. Two hundred thousand dollars (US$1,200,000) worth of investments

Large numbers indeed; the Jamaicans are talking very tall, as the Texans would say.

Aside from the large numbers, what also excites me is the obvious push towards Alternative Energy usage, an indication that the Government of Jamaica has awoken to the reality of Peak Oil in 2015 AD as stated in the article “IEA official warns of shrinking Oil supplies: Report”, Sunday August 2nd, 9:04 pm ET, AFP, Yahoo! News.

The fact that LNG, despite its estimated one hundred and fifty (150) year lifespan as compared to the much argue Coal, is indeed the fuel of the future as stated in the article “Fuel of the future?”, published Sunday July 4 2010 by Dwight Bellanfante, Gleaner Writer The Sunday Gleaner.

Barbados is following suit in diversifying its Energy resources away from Fossil Fuels into Alternative Energy, with assistance from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) as stated in the article “Barbados turns to renewable Energy with IDB help”, published Friday, October 01, 2010, The Jamaica Observer

This is part of its strategic retooling in terms of installation of servers and other modern telecommunications Infrastructure as a means of becoming a mecca for business in the Eastern Caribbean as stated in the article “Government positioning Barbados as the place to do business”, published Friday, August 13, 2010 By Julie Wilson, The Jamaica Observer and the People’s Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is considering manufacturing Solar Panels, possibly to put some on their Parliamentary buildings as stated in the article “Trini Govt looking into glass, solar panel plant”, published Thursday September 30 2010, The Jamaica Observer.

It should at least be of some assurance to all those concerned about the proposed usage of LNG as a fuel for generators that this is a sensible option, as it will yield immediate cost savings of 20% to 30% , reflected as a decrease in the Electricity bills of customers and an increase in the efficiency in JPS Co Electricity Generation and a significant reduction in Greenhouse gas produced by the massive retooled generators as stated in the article “Government eyes LNG cure for Energy problems”, published Wednesday June 16 2010 by Laura Redpath, Senior Staff Writer, The Jamaica Gleaner.

Additionally, enough supplies and a stable price source of LNG exists in the form of Promigas, a major LNG partner from our Colombian neighbours, already in pole position for the lucrative six hundred million dollar (US$600,000,000) LNG project as stated in the article “LNG will always be cheaper for Jamaican, says Colombian firms”, published Wednesday, October 06, 2010 by STEVEN JACKSON Business Observer writer, The Jamaica Observer.

It is just as well that we, as a people who follow International Energy trends, have become wise to the fact that we need to diversify away from Fossil Fuel as the United States of America has signaled that they intend to do as stated in the article “White House to install rooftop Solar Panels”, published October 5, 2010 5:19 AM PDT by Martin LaMonica, CNET News - Green Tech.

Its obvious strategic reason as it relates to reducing the flow of money that goes to legitimate Arab states that may in effect be funding terrorism as stated in the article “U.S. Navy buys 20,000 gallons of algae fuel”, published September 15, 2010 10:36 AM PDT by Candace Lombardi, CNET News - Green Tech, a follow-on, cricket pun intended, on a 2009 published report by the Center for Naval Analyses backed by twelve (12) former US Generals and Admirals.

Dr. Raymond Wright said as much in the article “Jamaica must seek other Energy sources by 2015 - says Dr. Raymond Wright”, published Saturday, October 09, 2010 By TANESHA MUNDLE Observer staff reporter, The Jamaica Observer, suggesting that Jamaica best follows suit, in light of all the worldwide activity going on that suggest the very same thing.

Peak Oil, is soon coming around 2015 AD, or our economy will be rocked by unstable rising Oil prices driven solely by demand outstripping supply and thus resulting in chaos as out Economy is racked by inflation on a uncontrollable scale that not even the Governor of the Bank of Jamaica, Mr. Brian Wynter, can control.

Dr. Raymond Wright is credited with overseeing the Oil Discovery by Sagres Energy, the parent of Canadian firm Rainville Energy that had drilling rights in Jamaica since Thursday June 15^th 2006 AD, announced Friday August 27^th 2010 AD and reported in detail on Wednesday September 1^st 2010 in The Jamaica Observer as stated in the article “Jamaica may have 3 billion barrels of Oil”, published Wednesday, September 01, 2010, The Jamaica Observer and confirmed by the article “Sagres yet to commit to Jamaica Oil drilling”, published Friday, September 03, 2010, The Jamaica Observer.

Sagres Energy needs to find a drilling partner before next year, as Dr. Raymond Wright asserts that they will as stated in the article “Wright affirms Oil potential”, published Friday September 3^rd 2010 by The Jamaica Information Service, The Jamaica Financial Gleaner.

And as for All-Electric Vehicles and Flex-fuel Hybrids, LNG will make them VERY possible, especially those based on the Range Extender Technology as described in the article “Chevy Volt's engine more than just a generator”, published October 11, 2010 2:32 PM PDT by Wayne Cunningham, CNET News - The Car Tech blog, putting aside the now hopelessly out-of-date Kent LaCroix, President of the Automobile Dealers Association (ADA) and his ramblings about Turbo Diesel as stated in the article “Is Jamaica ready for electric vehicles ?”, published Friday, October 01, 2010, The Jamaica Observer

This as Jamaica moves towards what the United States of America has envisioned: An Electron Economy as opined in the article by Dr. Ulf Bossel in his published paper entitled “Why a Hydrogen Economy doesn't make sense”, published December 11 2006, PhysOrg.com.

A quiet revolution indeed that should allow the Caribbean to survive The Day After Tomorrow (2004), a play on the movie of the same name, which is when the Bomb will drop: Peak Oil in 2015AD.