“Jamaica
has been making a mistake. We have been bashing Government and the utility
companies, and most of the times we do nothing about our energy usage. So I was
determined that we needed to do something in an economic way, and in this regard
I brought the idea to JPS”
Eaton Haughton, Energy Consultant who suggested WindStream Technologies to JPS Co
JPS
Co’s (Jamaica Public Service Company) really going hard as it relates to
Alternative energy. This as they’ve got plans to begin selling approximately
1000 SolarMills, a WindStream
Technologies product that combines wind and solar power into one product as
stated in the article “JPS goes
solar - Energy provider to market hybrid power generators”, Published
Saturday September 14, 2013 by Jermaine Francis, Staff Reporter, The Jamaica Gleaner.
JPS Co is yet to introduce Prepaid Power, which was supposed to come on stream by July 2013 as explained in my blog article entitled “JPS Co to introduce Prepaid Power and reduction in Industrial Electricity Rates by July 2013 - JPS Co copies Telecom Providers as it performs The Last Exorcism Part II of Jamaicans who steal Electricity”.
On
Monday May 20th 2013, I even did an Interview on CVM TV’s morning
time program, CVM at Sunrise, with regard to Prepaid power as chronicled in my blog article
entitled “Prepaid
Power coming in July 2013 - A Chip, a Pebble a Rock and a Block would make
Prepaid Power The Kings of Summer” suggesting how it needs to be marketed
to be benefit to the target population, that being the persons involved in
using illegal throw-ups!
So
this all-in-one SolarMill (“Solar” and “Mill” concatenated) is JPS Co’s way of
introducing Prepaid Power, in a sense. The product, which is to be market via
JPS co eStores as an answer to Customer complains about high electricity rates,
quote: “One of
the cries from Jamaicans is the need for alternatives, and the SolarMill goes
and takes the solar installation one step further, because when the sun is not
out the wind is still blowing. So it really gives you more power for your
dollar”.
No
doubt it will be an alternative but most likely an expensive one, possibly
costing about US$3000 (JA$300,000). That figure’s based on Eaton
Haughton, Energy Consultant, who had a bad run in with Hurricane Sandy and has
gone Solar ever since. He gave JPS Co the tip-off and they’ve decided to market
the North Vernon, Indiana based WindStream Technologies gear as an
Alternative Energy Generator, as its design alone is unusual but not unique.
I
remember seeing the very same product at the DBJ (Development Bank of Jamaica) Energy
Conference on Friday October 12th 2012 when I’d accidentally
decided to walk through Emancipation Park as explained in my blog article
entitled “ScotiaBank
and VMBS now offering Alternative Energy Loans - Rise of the Guardians to make
Solar Power affordable to Jamaicans”. I guess it was fate, as I bumped into
the unusual design being showcased among the various contractors’ booths as it
was placed in the middle of the Display Area.
I
was attracted to its clever design; part Wind Turbine and part Solar, its
vertical Wind turbines means it’ll always be generating electricity no matter
which direction the wind is blowing or at what speed, even gentle zephyrs. The
Solar Panels help to augment the Wind Turbine in this compact design, reducing
installation footprint to just the pre-built unit, an Inverter Switch and the
necessary Power Storage Batteries.
What’s
truly clever about the design is the braking system. No doubt in a hurricane,
high gusts can damage the turbines and the motors. The Wind Turbines have
mechanical brakes and are designed to stop the Vertical blades rotating when the
windspeed touches 47 MPH (Miles per hour), which translates to some 1400 RPM
(Revolutions per Minute).
CEO
of WindStream Technologies Daniel
Bates is willing to assist Jamaicans and make some money all in the same go,
quote “The
energy rates that Jamaica's
population pay are very expensive, from what I understand. We think that being
able to supplement your power needs with renewable resource can dramatically
reduce these costs”.
Hopefully
it’ll be an affordable option, as if it isn’t then competition from the likes
of ATL (Automotive Traders Limited) and other players in the market as
explained in my blog
article entitled “ATL
goes into Alternative Energy at the same Times JPSCo goes into Retail of Energy
Saving Gear - ATL Elite The Gransmaster (2013) in a burgeoning Alternative
Energy Field in Jamaica” is sure as Winter is Coming in Westeros, Game of
Thrones Style!
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