IN JAMAICA: 15 schools to benefit from PCJ's $62-m solar project...." This will result in savings of more than $16 million per year on the public sector energy bill,".....The systems should provide 232 kilowatts peak power which equates to about 344,000 Kilowatt hours per year.

Monday, June 30, 2014    

FIFTEEN schools and three Government agencies should soon see considerable reductions in their energy bills as the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) will be installing Solar PV Systems at public sector buildings at a cost of more than $62 million.

An aerial view of of a 1.6 MW solar PV roof system at
 Grand Palladium Hotel & Spa in Hanover.
 (OBSERVER FILE PHOTO)

Minister of State in the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining (MSTEM), Julian Robinson has announced that Cabinet has approved the projects and contracts should be signed soon.

"Collectively, the 18 Solar PV Systems which will be installed should provide 232 kilowatts peak power which equates to about 344,000 Kilowatt hours per year. This will result in savings of more than $16 million per year on the public sector energy bill," Robinson stated.

"In addition, the systems are grid-tied, allowing the benefiting institutions to earn revenue by generating electricity to sell back to the grid," he added.

Robinson also stated that the Public Sector Solar PV Project is the latest in a series of energy efficiency projects that the PCJ has executed as part of the Government's drive to reduce the public sector's energy bill.

"In the last 10 years the PCJ has carried out more than 100 energy-efficiency projects at government hospitals, schools, health centres and other public sector facilities. These projects represent a total investment of more than $116 million and have resulted in more than $43 million in savings on Jamaica's annual energy bill," he said.

The benefiting institutions are:

*Ardenne High School

* Clarendon College

*Dinthill Technical High School

*Glenmuir High School

*Hampton School for Girls

*Kingston High School

*Munro College

*Norman Manley High School

*Old Harbour High School

*Rose Hill Primary School

*St Catherine High School

*St Elizabeth Technical High School

*St Hugh's High School

*Vere Technical High School

*Wolmer's Girls' School

*The Scientific Research Council

*The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM)

*The Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica. more