WHO confirms Ebola Virus outbreak in DRC different from West Africa - Ebola Virus Brothers from the same Zaire Strain Mother

“Results from the Virus characterization, together with findings from the epidemiological investigation, are definitive: the outbreak in DRC is a distinct and independent event, with no relationship to the outbreak in West Africa”

WHO (World Health Organization) commenting on Tuesday September 2^nd 2014 on the findings of Centre International de Recherches Médicales, confirming that the Ebola Virus Strains from West Africa and DRC are different

I’ve now begun an Ebola Watch after the WHO (World Health Organization) declared that the Epidemic would claim some 20,000 lives before the Ebola virus is brought under control as stated in the articles “Ebola outbreak: WHO warns that virus could infect 20,000”, published 28 August 2014 14:51 GMT, BBC News and “Ebola Could Strike 20,000, World Health Agency Says”, published AUG. 28, 2014 By NICK CUMMING-BRUCE and ALAN COWELL, NY Times.

That predicting made me think, initially, that the Ebola outbreak in the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo) was confirmation of its continued spread that’s now at Epidemic Proportions in Africa. However, the WHO has now reported that the DRC Strain genetically different form that affecting West African countries as stated in the article “New Ebola Cases Unrelated To West African Outbreak”, published  9/02/2014 @ 9:59AM by David Kroll, Forbes.

This was confirmed by the Centre International de Recherches Médicales, a WHO collaborating research center in Franceville, Gabon, who announced that, quote: “the Virus in the Boende district is definitely not derived from the Virus Strain currently circulating in West Africa.” This Laboratory had previously identified six (6) samples from West Africa as those of persons infected with the Ebola Virus. They would logically be in a position to make that distinction between the West Africa Strain and the DRC Strain.

Those affected with one particular Strain of Ebola Virus are as follows:

1.      Guinea

2.      Liberia

3.      Sierra Leone

4.      Nigeria

The Ebola Virus has claimed some 1,552 plus lives in West Africa since August 2014 as per my blog article entitled “Jamaica's Ebola Risk - How a ZMapp cured Americans of Ebola as Jamaica can become Guinea Pig to Test an Ebola Cure”. 

Ebola Virus outbreak in DRC – Ebola Virus Brothers from the same Zaire Strain Mother

The DRC Outbreak, which the WHO states is occurring in the Boende District, a remote region of the DRC some 750 miles from the capital of Kinshasa in, has this claimed fewer than 100 lives thus far. To be precise, up until Tuesday 2^nd September 2014, the figures reported were as thus:

1.      53 Ebola Virus Cases

2.      31 Ebola Virus Deaths

3.      7 Healthcare workers among the Ebola Virus Deaths

Good to note at this point that both the Ebola Viruses outbreaks in West Africa and DRC are of the Zaire Strain of Ebola Virus, so called because the Ebola Virus first originated in Zaire, now called DRC. However, in terms of their Genome they are slightly different, suggesting that the one in the DRC Outbreak, though the same species of Ebola Virus, is a genetically different Ebola Viruses from the West African Ebola Virus.

In short they are different Ebola Virus Brothers from the same Zaire Strain Mother!

In fact, this recent Ebola Virus outbreak is genetically similar to the 1995 outbreak in the city of Kikwit in the DRC. Thus it's easy to see why many believe the Ebola Virus is spreading when in fact it's more a case of the Virus re-emerging. The current Ebola Virus outbreak, 7^th on record in the DRC, has a history that spans back to 1976 when it first appeared and ravaged that country along with South Sudan.

Ebola Spread in DRC – Situation made worse by Traditional Hunting and Burial problems

Ground zero for this latest infection was a pregnant woman from Ikanamongo Village who died on August 11 after preparing bushmeat that her husband had hunted as reported by the WHO in the article “Ebola virus disease – Democratic Republic of Congo”, published 27 August 2014 by Disease outbreak news, WHO.

Lends more credence to the DRC Strain of the Ebola Virus being a mere re-emergence from the Bush as opposed to a spread, especially as the countries in-between DRC those West African countries have reported no cases of imported Ebola Virus infections.

This suggests that the Ebola Virus was lurking in the bushes of the DRC Jungle and has infected the primates and Bats, a primary traditional food hunted by many Congolese. Thus, expect more infections in the coming months due to traditional hunting of these animals for food, making the WHO prediction of 20,000 infected by December 2014 look like a prophetic statistical prediction.

The situation is made worse by the traditional burial practices of the people of DRC as noted by the WHO, quote: “Local customs and rituals associated with death meant that several health-care workers were exposed and presented with similar symptoms in the following week.” These customs involve the family washing and embalming the body for live burial, resulting them coming in contact with the following body fluids:

1.      Blood

2.      Saliva

3.      Semen

4.      Stool

5.      Sweat

6.      Urine

Thus the Ebola Virus spreads rapidly and within seven (7) days the symptoms become self-evident:

1.      Diarrhoea

2.      Headache

3.      Intense weakness

4.      Muscle pain

5.      Rash

6.      Sore throat

7.      Sudden onset of fever

8.      Vomiting

Good to note here that hemorrhaging associated with the Ebola Virus is as a result of the Body T-Cells deciding to launch an all out attack against the Ebola Virus in what’s called a Cytokine Storm. This after the Body's defense system, which the Ebola virus attacks last, is crippled.

Thus, with no means to produce an antibody response to the Ebola Virus Antigen, the your Body’s immune system launches an all out attack using all its known antibodies in what’s known as a Cytokine Storm.

This results in the Blood of the victim becoming flooded with anti-coagulant, making the patient literally drown to death in their own Blood as it drains through their Blood vessels and into their organs, including the skin. Given its incubation period of 2 weeks, it can easily travel around world and become a Global Pandemic if Countries aren’t vigilant.

Here’s hoping that the Ebola Virus doesn’t spread to Jamaica as Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar suspects is possible and is deserving of a meeting to discuss the Travel situation in the Caribbean as stated in my blog article entitled “Trinidad PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar's CARICOM Meeting - Preventing Caribbean Chikungunya Virus and Ebola Virus Epidemic by Christmas 2014”.

Very necessary precaution, given the rampant spread of Chikungunya Virus thus far!

YouTube and the Lyrics Videos Trend - How Lyrics Videos ride the Streaming Trend as Musicians Cash in on Sing-Along Craze

Since my last article on the rise of YouTube Celebrities being more popular than Hollywood Celebrities among Millennials as explained in my blog article entitled “Variety Survey says YouTubers more popular than Hollywood Celebrities – Popularity driven by Teenage Fandoms and iCarly Effect”, I’ve begun to watch more YouTube Channels instead of just random Videos.

So I was surprised to discover yet another phenomenon is on the rise, that being the Lyric Video as stated in “The surprising rise of YouTube Lyrics Videos”, published August 31, 2014 4:00 AM PDT by Joan E. Solsman, CNET News, which I’ve noticed before but never paid any real attention. Musicians and Artists, apparently realizing the sing-along appeal of their songs, are now cashing in, making commercial-Free Lyrics Videos on their YouTube Vevo Channels.

Not surprising that this works so well for Musicians and Artiste, as many times, before an Official Music Video is out, fans would often make a Lyrics Video for the Artiste. In fact, most of the time when you search for a particular Song for an Artiste or band, you’ll invariably bump into a fan-made Lyrics Video instead that usually poor on graphics but has the words to the song all figured out.

Many a cheerleader, playwright in Stage production or event planners planning a Karaoke session, Wedding or a Graduation often scour the Internet for Lyrics Websites just to learn the Lyrics for some of these popular songs. Lyrics Videos hearken back to the days of LP and CD that had those cool Album art and the Lyrics written inside, so you could sing along with your favourite Artiste.

This idea of getting persons to enjoy the whole Album and the song Lyrics was possibly the inspiration for Beyonce Knowles or just Beyonce aka Queen B releasing her self-titled Beyonce on iTunes Album with full Video and Audio Tracks sans the hype machine typically associated with her Music as stated in my blog article entitled “Beyonce's latest Album released entirely on Apple iTunes - Queen Bee's Cornucopia Breaking Bad iTunes records via an efficient Music Delivery monetizing Music Videos eye-Candy”.

She wanted her audience to fall in love with her Music as it was, not because she was Beyonce, but because they liked her Music as it was. This is what a Lyrics Videos does, actually, as by acting as a fan-made placeholder until the Official Video comes out, fans get to love the Artiste Music by learning the Lyrics before the symbolism-laden Music Video comes out.

Lyrics Videos and Musicians – Lyrics Videos takes advantage of Trend of Video and Audio Streaming

So the reasoning behind the popularity of Lyrics Videos isn’t at all surprising; we just wanna know what the Artiste was saying when they sing their songs. Even here in Jamaica, a popular section of the Jamaica Star Newspaper features the Lyrics of the songs of some of the more popular Dancehall Artists written within, as it’s the main reason many read their Tabloid.

As most of the popular Lyrics Videos are on YouTube, they’re taking advantage of the recent trend towards Video and Audio Streaming based on the Nielsen Stats as noted in my blog article entitled “Nielsen Stats record continued decline in Music Downloads - Developed World Streaming will catch on in Developed World once we get 4G LTE”.

Evidence of the Nielsen Stats being truthful can be seen from Apple’s move to invest in Streaming via the still much talked about acquisition of Beats Electronics for some US$3.2 billion as stated in my blog article entitled “Apple officially confirms Beats Audio Purchase - US$3.2 Billion as Apple gears up for Subscription Streaming and improved Headphones”.

Tessanne Chin’s sales of her Album Count On My Love were slow because of the shift towards Streaming as I’d concluded based on my simple statistics analysis my blog article entitled “Why Tessanne Chin’s Count on My Love isn't selling – Streaming is now King as she needs to Experiment with Writing her OWN Songs”.

Tessanne Chin’s management has since taken the hint and launched her Album on Spotify and possibly other Streaming Platforms.

More interestingly, the stats from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, which reported a 51% increase in streaming subscription services, allowing the Music Industry to realize US$1 billion for the first time. This acted as a counterweight to the continued slide of Digital CD and Music Downloading, which the Nielsen Stats had mentioned, thus adding knowledge to what was already confirmed.

Lyric Videos are riding on this very same trend, powered by smartphones with meatier RAM and faster 4G LTE Networks in the US of A. Thus, expect this streaming trend to come to Jamaica once Telecom Providers such as Digicel complete the Fiber Optic Upgrades necessary to launch a 4G LTE Network as noted in my blog article entitled “Digicel’s Fiber Optic Network has July 2014 Completion Date – Launchpad for 4G LTE, Frame Relay, FTTH and Cloud Based PBX Services”.

YouTube and Lyrics Videos - Cashing in on the Craze to Sing-Along that a Music Awards Category

Google owned YouTube has realized that this trend is just a Video version of online subscribers Googling for Lyrics Websites. To this end, they've decided to ride the popularity of Music Videos in General and launch a Video Subscription Service similar to Spotify called YouTube Music Key as stated in “Exclusive: This Is YouTube Music Key, Google's Upcoming Subscription Service With Offline Support, Background Audio, No Ads, Free Play Music”, published 18-08-2014 by Liam Spradlin, Android Police.

Not sure why anybody would pay to do the same thing that you can do on your computer by just logging in with your Google Account, subscribing to a YouTube Channel for a fix of your favourite Music Artiste and then creating a custom playlist.

Also, Google already has a Google Play Music that has an All Access Music Subscription option for those persons toting a Google Chromecast HDMI Streaming Stick as I'd pointed out in my blog article entitled “Google Play Music’s All Access Music Subscription Three months Free Streaming - Happy Birthday as Google Chromecast fights Amazon fire TV”.

Still, they're recorded success with Lyrics Videos, with some interesting stats for Videos with the word “Official audio” and “Lyric Video” in the title. These are the same Lyrics Videos, just not the Official Video for the Artiste.

In the first 8 months of 2011, they hosted some 2 days worth of Lyrics Videos that could be found using those search terms. That figures has now skyrocketed to 81 days. Similarly the Vevo Music Channel, owned via a partnership between YouTube and Major Music Labels, had just under 400 Lyrics Videos during the entire year 2012.

Now they have some 2000 Lyrics Videos, all acting as placeholders until the Music Artiste or Band decided to make an Official Music Video.

Lyrics Video vs Official Video – More Love for Lyrics Videos via positive Thumbs up 

That's where things get interesting.

When the a Music Artiste or Band finally makes an Official Music Video, in many cases the Lyrics Videos continue to be more popular than the Official Video. Case in point is Katy Perry's Happy Birthday, a song that came out in her Album PRISM in 2013. First here's Katy Perry's own Lyrics Video.

And for comparison, here's the Official Video for Happy Birthday

Logically, the Fan-made Lyrics Videos as well as Katy Perry's own Lyrics Video was up long before the Official Video, so there will always be more visitors to her Lyrics Videos than her YouTube Videos. But if you look at the likes i.e. Thumbs up vs Thumbs down for both Videos, you'll realize that there's more love for the Katy Perry's own Lyrics Video than the officially sanctioned Music Video for Happy Birthday!

So Lyrics Videos, even those made by the Artiste themselves, get more love than the Official Music Videos. Even the Video Music Awards are now catching on to this trend, creating a special category for Lyrics Videos.

In August 2014, MTV created the “Nest Lyric Video” Category just for this musical genre. In keeping with the fan-based origins of Lyrics Videos, MTV allowed the winner to b chose via hashtag voting via Twitter, Vine or Instagram. some 166.2 million votes were registered for the Top Lyric Video, compared to 2013, when the category was named “Best Song of the Summer”, which garnered 11.8 million votes.

Powered by this trend of Streaming on Mobile Computing devices such as smartphones, Tablets and Laptops, Lyrics Videos are finally getting their day in the Sun.

YouTube Music Videos – Great Online Entertainment once you’ve subscribed to the Right Channels

For all intents and purposes, thanks to Video Streaming via YouTube, I’ve basically stopped watching Local Television all together, opting to get my News from Reading Newspaper online as well as Social Media Channels such as Facebook and Twitter as I’ve explained in my Geezam blog article entitled “Pew Research posits 3 in 10 get their News via Facebook as Paper set to go live”.

My list of YouTube Channels has grown considerably as well:

1.      2NE1

2.      CNET TV

3.      DNews

4.      Rebecca Black

5.      Revision3 Games

6.      Rihanna

7.      ScreenJunkies

8.      Smosh

9.      TestTube

10.  The Big Bang Theory

11.  The Jamaica Observer

12.  Veritasium

Just as when I was at UWI (University of the West Indies) doing my Degree, I realize that you have to have access to a computer with Broadband Internet, both for work and well as for pleasure as I’ve concluded in my Geezam blog article entitled “How to connect Xbox One controller to any Computer or Laptop”.

Eventually I’ll update my list with more Music Channels, with Lyrics Videos added to my serving, as I realize that sometimes, I do like to know what the Artiste is saying so I can sing-along with the song as well.

Digicel CEO Barry O'Brien donates 3 650-Gallon Tanks to Downtown Schools - How the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is Not Cool as it Wastes Ice Water during a Drought

“The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and what it represents is admirable, and Digicel has supported it. However, it is imperative that we also localise such social-media trends and make them beneficial to Jamaicans”

Digicel CEO Barry O'Brien commenting on his decision to donate three 650 Gallon Water Tanks to School Downtown instead of taking up the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

Telecom Provider Digicel has done something that’s practical for a change. More importantly, it should send a message about following every trend Social Media want to throw at us, especially those coming from Developed World Countries like the US of A.

ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is basically a Motor Neuron Disease that causes sufferers to lose control over all the muscles in their body, reducing them to a vegetative immobile state. The ALS Association has received some US$94 million in donations from existing donors and 2.1 million new donors since the Ice Bucket challenge started. This as if you opt out of the Ice Bucket Challenge, said to simulate the sensation that ALS sufferers feel, you have to pledge US$10 to their cause via donations at their website.

Instead of doing the Ice Bucket Challenge, a Social Media Campaign that was started to raise awareness about ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) otherwise known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, Digicel CEO Barry O'Brien opted to be very practical as explained in the article “Digicel boss wants Jamaican challenge”, Published Monday September 1, 2014, The Jamaica Gleaner and “Expressions of joy at Digicel's 'Water Tank challenge'”, published Friday, August 29, 2014 9:57 PM, The Jamaica Observer.

He instead donated 650 gallon Water Tanks to the following High Schools downtown:

1.      Franklin Town Primary School

2.      St Michael's Primary School

3.      Kingston College

Digicel CEO Barry O'Brien and the Ice Bucket Challenge – Not Cool to Waste Ice Water during a Drought

Even better, he also, by his actions, hinted at a possible challenge to Corporate Jamaica to be practical and do likewise and make donations to high schools of a Water-related Nature. This as his donation was a follow-on of previous work being done by the Digicel Foundation, who’d already donated some 12 Tanks to some high Schools in Clarendon and St. Thomas.

A representative of the Digicel Foundation said that the organization initially bought twelve (12) Tanks and donated to eight (8) schools in St. Thomas and Clarendon as stated in the article “Digicel CEO gives 3 schools Water Tanks after Ice Bucket Challenge”, published Wednesday, August 27, 2014 4:50 PM, The Jamaica Observer.

This a day before on Thursday August 28^th 2014 when Brand Ambassador Miss Kitty and Agent DG on given away more than JA$500,000 worth of book grants and cash prizes as stated in “Digicel delivers school supplies”, published Thursday August 28, 2014, The Jamaica Gleaner.

This mainly consisting of knapsacks laden with smartphones, Call Credit, 4G Broadband Modems, Back-to-School Huawei MediaPad Lite Tablets along with rulers, pencils, calculators, geometry set and other things.

Quick plug for myself folks!

I’m back in the Swallowfield Camp fresh from training from Milk River, Clarendon, a community which I've left since Saturday August 30^th 2014 to come to Kingston, yet again for about the 10^th or so time to complete my Professional Diploma in Teaching at the MICO University College as I'd pointed out in my blog article entitled “ Folks, I'm back in Swallowfield - Saturday and Sunday are Blogger Maintenance Day so no blogging”.

CEO of Digicel Barry O'Brien plays it down the middle – NWC Water Restrictions STILL in effect

Thus CEO of Digicel Barry O'Brien was not only playing it safe and practical, but also by the budget, seeing as they'd ALREADY begun donating Tanks to help high School in these parishes that were experiencing Water woes. Plus, the NWC (National Water Commission) had stated that Water lockoff were in effect since July 2014 as stated in “NWC to intensify Water restrictions in Corporate Area”, published Thursday, July 03, 2014 1:13 PM, The Jamaica Observer.

Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Robert Pickersgill in a statement in House of Representatives on Wednesday July 2^nd 2014, warned that they'd be adopting, quote “a zero tolerance approach” with persons found in breach of the Water Restrictions being taken before the Resident Magistrates Court as stated in the article “NWC Implements Water Restrictions”, published July 3, 2014 By Latonya Linton, The Jamaica Information Service.

Clearly, the High Schools were pleased with the donation, especially as Education Minister Ronald Thwaites endorsed the donation with his personal appearance during the handing over ceremony to quote Principal of Franklin Town Primary, Leroy Smith, quote: “I got a call to say, come to the school. I saw (Education) Minister (Ronald) Thwaites here and I was even more curious as to what was happening. To hear that the school is getting this donation is just perfect. We are ready to get it filled over the weekend just in time for the first day of school”.

KC (Kingston College), the boys in Purple and White had a very grateful Principal of Kingston College Dave Myri receive the Tanks, especially as it relieve their current Water Crisis at their Elletson Road Campus, quote: “We've been plagued by Water problems year round on both campuses, so this has moved us towards solving some of the Water-storage issues. Actually, just this morning we spoke to the parents on how the bathrooms would be maintained given the current Water crisis and so to have this donation by Digicel a few hours after, we are really grateful”.

Not to mention just in time too, as Water Restrictions are STILL in effect as noted in the article “Water Restrictions Still On Despite Rains”, Published Sunday August 31, 2014 11:06 am, The Jamaica Gleaner.

Very true, as since I’ve returned, I notice that Water goes away in the nights only to return at around 6:00am. I basically have to catch Water in my Yellow Bathtub just as I did in Milk River, Clarendon as noted in my blog article entitled “How to make Oreo Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes - My Chocolate Summer in Milk River as I'm dreaming of Swallowfield”, a situation I survived thanks to the healing power of Chocolate!

Digicel opts to be Relevant – ALS Donations via Ice Bucket Challenge are a waste of Water

CEO of Digicel Barry O'Brien did the practical thing.

After all, Water Restrictions are STILL in force and it would look out of place to be wasting Water, even a Bucket full of Ice and cold Water you paid for and froze in your company’s freezer. Giving 650 gallon Water Tanks was a lot more practical, seeing as the Drought is still ongoing as noted in the article “Water Restrictions Still On Despite Rains”, Published Sunday August 31, 2014 11:06 am, The Jamaica Gleaner.

But he may have also dodged a controversy.

Turns out that ALS Association may be using Stem Cells from aborted foetus, according to American Archbishop Michael Jackels and other protesting their usage of the millions donated thus far as stated in the article “'Don't send them your money”, published Sunday August 31, 2014, by Ryon Jones, Staff Reporter, The Jamaica Gleaner.

Looks like Telecom Provider Digicel proves yet again, like Haiti and controversy surrounding the corrupt practice of the Haitian Government led by Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe in collecting an illegal Tax as explained in my blog article entitled “Digicel Haiti removes VoIP Apps Blockade – How Laurent Lamothe Administrations Corrupt Telecom Tax for FNE has French Connection” was dodged by just being plain practical about how you wish your Brand Image to be perceived in the eyes of the customer.

Waste not Water on ALS Association Jamaicans; we need all the Water we can get as the Drought is still ongoing and the Chikungunya Virus shows no signs of abating as pointed out in my blog article entitled “21 Jamaicans now infected with Chikungunya Virus - DEET and Citronella are Trending Back-to-School Perfumes on the Playground”.

Time for Jamaicans to make up our own Social Media Challenge: the Black Tank Challenge, where communities in Jamaica go without bathing for a day or donate JA$100 toward the purchase of a Black Tank in their community that needs one.

Pan Caribbean Sugar Company Ltd Bagasse Co-Generation and Biofuel Project - How Bagasse Biofuel and Cooking Oil can reduce Oil Bill

“We are changing, St Thomas is changing next year, so we are talking to the OUR to ensure that they have the right policy that creates a correct pricing structure. They have two sets of people with two different views: One says that the price (net billing) must be very low. Boilers and turbines are very expensive”.

CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of Pan Caribbean Dr Huaixiang (Harry) Wu on the use of Bagasse as Fuel for Boilers and as a potential Biofuel

Despite what you may want to say about the Chinese owning our Sugar Companies, they’re making some excellent decision with regards to Power Generation.

Chinese-owned Pan Caribbean Sugar Company Limited plans to switch over to using Bagasse, the leftover from Sugar processing, to make more extensive use of Bagasse both as a fuel for their Boilers as well as to make it into a Biofuel for Vehicles as stated in “Sugar-Cane power – Pan Carib to generate Electricity from bagasse”, Published Tuesday August 26, 2014, The Jamaica Gleaner.

According to CEO (Chief Executive Officer ) of Pan Caribbean Dr Huaixiang (Harry) Wu, the use of Bagasse,  the fibrous matter that remains after Sugar Cane is crushed to extract juice, can provide enough heat for their boilers to generate Electricity and still have spare Electricity left over to sell to the National Grid.

To this end, Pan Caribbean Sugar Company Limited has been seeking regulatory approval for their medium term plan, which will see them using Bagasse as a fuel for Boilers in the next three years. This is similar to a plan by Seprod back in August 2012 to use Bagasse as fuel as documented in the article “Seprod Weighs Electricity Production From Bagasse”, Published Friday August 24, 2012 by Marcella Scarlett, Business Reporter, The Jamaica Gleaner.

A part of Pan Caribbean Sugar Company Limited's plan is to upgrade their boilers to a newer, more efficient design, which according to CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of Pan Caribbean Dr Huaixiang (Harry) Wu will save them some 10% on Electricity costs. These Boilers produce steam which are used to power 2 Steam powered Generators, a 10 MW and a 5 MW Generator.

Combined, they can generate all the Electricity required to power the entire Sugar Mill during peak Season production.

During off peak, they plan to sell 5% of their Electricity to the National Grid, with talks already in progress to obtain an IPP (Independent Power Provider) License for the OUR (Office of Utilities Regulation) to sell this excess power to the JPS (Jamaica Power Service Company), to quote Senior Assistant to the CEO of Pan Caribbean, Delroy Armstrong, quote:  “We will have excess energy that we will be able to sell to the national grid. We are in discussions with the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) and the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) regarding a licence and a power-purchase agreement”.

But it's their other plan that's caught my eye and is the main reason for me writing this article. They also plan to use some kind of biofuel reactor to convert Bagasse into a fuel that can be used in their Farm vehicles, possibly Diesel or even Ethanol or Gasoline, using the power from the 10 MW Generator powered by Bagasse.

Bagasse Biofuel - Dr Michael Coley and Dr Huaixiang Wu Joint Bagasse and Cooking Oil Recycling Project

This is somewhat similar to a joint Project between Lead Researcher on the Project Dr Michael Coley of the Department of Chemistry in the Faculty of Science and Technology of the UWI (University of the West Indies).

Working in cooperation with a NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) YCWJ (Youth Crime Watch Jamaica), they are planning to convert Waste Cooking Oil into biofuel as described in my blog article entitled “UWI and YCWJ team up to Recycle Waste Cooking Oil - Yendi Phillipps on How to make National Bio-Diesel Production from Waste Cooking Oil Insidious Chapter 2”.

That idea involves collecting Waste Cooking Oil, which would normally go down the drain and clog sinks and stay in the soil, taking along time to decompose. Taking advantage of the fact that there is no state sanctioned policy from the NSWMA (National Solid Waste Management Authority) on recycling Waste Cooking Oil, Dr Michael Coley along with the YCWJ embarked on this Project that involves members of the Inner City Community and several High Schools.

Like Dr Michael Coley Project, CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of Pan Caribbean Dr Huaixiang (Harry) Wu Bagasse to biofuel Project has the potential to create Biofuel from a waste material that would otherwise clog waterways and clog the soil. Bagasse can not only be decomposed in ethanol via a cellulosic decomposition via special enzymes but it can also be converted via Biodigesters into Methane Gas as well as noted in my blog article entitled “Alternative Energy and The World - The Purple Cow and the Sun Salutes You”.

Bagasse can seen be decomposed via Vacuum Pyrolosys using concentrated sunlight through a Fresnel Lens array as described in my blog article entitled “How to upgrade your Solar Desalinator to a Solar Cooker and make a Solar Foundry for Vacuum Pyrolysis” or even an array of Mirrors  into an oleum than can be used as a fertilizer in Sugar production or decomposed further into pure Carbon for sale as a raw material in manufacturing.

I'll even go as far as to state that Dr Michael Coley and Dr Huaixiang Wu need to start a Joint Bagasse and Cooking Oil Recycling Project, as the potential impact that this can have on the reduction of Fuel into Jamaica is enormous.

Bagasse as a VAS - More money in Bagasse to power Boilers and Generators and Biofuel than from Net Billing

With so many possible VAS (Value Added Products) possible from Bagasse, it's no wonder CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of Pan Caribbean Dr Huaixiang (Harry) Wu is trying to convince Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining Phillip Paulwell to allow them to upgrade the Boilers for all the Sugar estates under their portfolio to use Bagasse as well as also to convert Bagasse to these other VAS.

This as these upgrades by themselves, albeit saving on power and allowing the Pan Caribbean Sugar Company Limited to make money from Net Billing are significant, more money can be made from Sugar Cane if they could also make VAS from the Bagasse itself. Certainly sounds a lot better than growing sorghum on arable land just to make Ethanol as described in my blog article entitled “Russians see potential in Ethanol Fuel Plant in Jamaica – From Russia With Love for sorghum”.

With this initiative by the Pan Caribbean Sugar Company Limited, they’re converting cellulosic waste from Sugar Cane Production into biofuel and other VAS aside from Bagasse board.

Hopefully too, this idea of recycling Waste to fuel will also spread to even Vehicle tyres as is currently being contemplated in St. Lucia and which the US of A has been involved in doing for years as noted in my blog article entitled “St. Lucia’s SLSWMA to make Fuel from Tyres - Why is Jamaica not converting Tyres at Riverton City Dump into Fuel”.

In the next three (3) years, you might be using Fuel made from Bagasse in your Motor Vehicle thanks to the Pan Caribbean Sugar Company Limited!