Looks
like the Mona Reservoir may soon be covered in PV (Photovoltaic) if the PCJ
(Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica) have their way!!!
The
PCJ has issued an invitation for companies interested in providing consultancy
services to study the feasibility of a grid-connected floating PV plant as
noted in the article “Jamaica’s
oil company PCJ plans floating PV project at water reservoir”, published
December 5 2017 by Emiliano Bellini, PV
Magazine.
The
study will provide the PCJ and Jamaica’s National Water Commission (NWC) with
the necessary technical, financial, and environmental assessments on the
floating PV project. Once approved, it would be the first of its kind in the
country, if not the Caribbean. Interested consultants will have to submit their
offers by January 12, 2018.
A
big of background is in order.
The
PCJ announced its intention to enter the renewable energy sector in
mid-October. They'd also issued a tender for a rooftop PV project for the DBJ
(Development Bank of Jamaica).
This
is very similar to their intention to install Solar systems at several Public
Primary and High Schools as noted in my blog article
entitled “PCJ
to install JA$62 million Solar Panels Systems - 15 Schools and 3 GOJ
Institution”.
The PCJ is also getting funding from the UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) as part of their Deployment of Renewable Energy and Improvement of Energy Efficiency in the Public Sector Project to set up solar Systems at six public hospitals in a bid to reduce the Electricity Bill of the Health Sector.
So
how will this work, exactly?
PCJ and NWC - Solar
Powered Hydroelectric Plant may mean an end to Water Lockoffs
The
idea is that a grid-connected floating PV plant could produce power to supply
the grid. Any excess power could be used to pump water to keep the reservoir
full, as a form of energy storage.
Then
at a time of peak power demand, the water would be let out, turning water turbines,
effectively a form of stored Hydroelectric power.
This
concept has a lot in common with the JPS Co's (Jamaica Public Service Company)
plan to store excess generate power in Li-Ion Batteries and Flywheels as
explained in my blog
article entitled “How
JPS Co Hybrid Storage Plant Prevents Islandwide Outages as Solar Power usage
increases”.
This
is basically storing excess KE (Kinetic Energy) in a form of PE (Potential
Energy) that can be extracted on demand.
It
is also similar the 40 MW, 160,000 panels floating Solar Farm in an artificial
coal mine lake in central Anhui province in China as explained in the article “Floating
solar farm reflects China's clean energy ambitions”, published Wednesday,
June 14, 2017 , The Jamaica Observer.
Good
to note that unlike the Floating Solar Farm in China, the Mona Reservoir is the
main source of water for the Kingston metropolitan region, Jamaica’s capital.
This may sound like the PCJ want to play with your drinking water, but rest
assured, there is no risk of water contamination, as the water store there is purified
afterwards.
It
also has the advantage of reducing surface evaporation from the Mona Reservoir,
which combined with the pump system to pump water directly from the river, will
make drought and Water Lockoffs in the Kingston area a thing of the past.
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