Renewable Energy Can Free the Bahamas
by Larry Smith

CAPE ELEUTHERA: It was a truly shocking experience.

Who would have thought that the head cheeses of the Bahamas Electricity Corporation, Kevin Basden and Fred Gottlieb, would be caught dead at a little out island gabfest on renewable energy?

"I really hope we can get renewables working for us," BEC chairman Gottlieb told the assembled experts and afficionados, "because I am tired of people calling me to complain about the fuel surcharge."

With oil prices now hovering around $100 a barrel, the world's heavily-polluting energy economy is finally beginning to shift gear, and the Bahamas - which imports all its fuel - must adapt or suffer the consequences. The good news is that the economic changes the experts were predicting for the long haul are happening a lot faster than we expected.

The setting for Mr Gottlieb's joke last week is a clear case in point. An American-owned school at Cape Eleuthera that is powered entirely by solar panels and a wind turbine, that recycles its own waste, grows its own food and builds with Casuarina lumber (these imported pine trees are an invasive weed).

And what, just a couple of years ago, might have been merely a gathering of starry-eyed green missionaries turned out to be more of a business meeting than you might think.

More at:
http://www.bahamapundit.com/2008/02/renewable-energ.html

If the Bahamas would take the lead on this, in 10 years we could become a world powerehouse in renewable energy

The oil saving alone would be for us in the billions and enough to redone education and healthcare.

Yinna TINK we rich now, imgaine a Bahamas FREE from foreign oil purchases (or at least down by 60%)!


With such a small population this is more than do-able.

DROP THE IMPORT DUTIES ON SOLAR PANELS,SOLAR WATER HEATERS AND WIND TURBINES!!!

I don't know why they are not duty free really. I mean does the government make so much money from the duty from their importation....more than....I dunno...GASS GUZZLING SUVS?....any cars really.

I don't know why they are not duty free really. I mean does the government make so much money from the duty from their importation....more than....I dunno...GASS GUZZLING SUVS?....any cars really.


In another psot last week I noted that all the DART buses in the public transportation system in Dallas are fueled by LNG or vegetable fuel waste at a HUGE savings to the city.

Are we still importing gs guzzling vechicles for use for BEC, BATELCO, etc.




(Solar water heaters are required by law in Isreal).

If the Bahamas would take the lead on this, in 10 years we could become a world powerehouse in renewable energy
The oil saving alone would be for us in the billions and enough to redone education and healthcare.
Yinna TINK we rich now, imgaine a Bahamas FREE from foreign oil purchases (or at least down by 60%)!
With such a small population this is more than do-able.
DROP THE IMPORT DUTIES ON SOLAR PANELS,SOLAR WATER HEATERS AND WIND TURBINES!!!

from what i understand, solar panels and the like are imported duty-free. ya still gats to pay the stamp tax, but no duty :).

I was wondering how much plants like these:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Solar_two.jpg

Would it take for Nassau.

(Solar water heaters are required by law in Isreal).

and in related news, barbados has mandated that all future construction (commercial and residential) include such alternative energy design. (coupla years ago, but hey ...)

The only thing that I have seen around here using alternative energy from the government is solar panels for the parking lot at the Clifton Heritage park. I guess it's a start....let's see if it continues.

And then there are some solar panels on TWD highway for signals. Don't remember seeing them working though, or are they for the streetlights?

I was wondering how much plants like these:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Solar_two.jpg
Would it take for Nassau.


Someone did a TV documentary on the construction of that solar facility.

It woulddepend on the number of kWh Nassau uses daily.

There is probably not space in Nassau for a solar parabola, but we could put 20 or so wind turbines offshore of NP and light up the whole city.

There just needs to be the day that the ugly beast at clifton gets torn down, like what the new owners are planning to do at BORCO ( at laest tearing down the towers)

Someone did a TV documentary on the construction of that solar facility.
It woulddepend on the number of kWh Nassau uses daily.
There is probably not space in Nassau for a solar parabola, but we could put 20 or so wind turbines offshore of NP and light up the whole city.


What is the cost to start this up. I always hear nay sayers stating the startup costs are too high.

If the Bahamas would take the lead on this, in 10 years we could become a world powerehouse in renewable energy
The oil saving alone would be for us in the billions and enough to redone education and healthcare.
Yinna TINK we rich now, imgaine a Bahamas FREE from foreign oil purchases (or at least down by 60%)!
With such a small population this is more than do-able.
DROP THE IMPORT DUTIES ON SOLAR PANELS,SOLAR WATER HEATERS AND WIND TURBINES!!!
I remember as a child we had a windmill, worked great back then ,there was no electricity down this way, dont know why with all this available technolagy in renewable energy we are still so dependent on oil.

and in related news, barbados has mandated that all future construction (commercial and residential) include such alternative energy design. (coupla years ago, but hey ...)
They already require solar water heaters.

I remember as a child we had a windmill, worked great back then ,there was no electricity down this way, dont know why with all this available technolagy in renewable energy we are still so dependent on oil.

Who the hell knows.....

The first tide generator is set to be deployed somewhere around Scotland or Ireland in the coming weeks, no need for batteries as it is constantly in motion. The Bahamas has ALLOT of tide, lets hope it works, then we should take advantage of it. Also they say due to it's slow rotation, there is little chance of disrupting the environment.