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WWFL (Wigton Wind Farms Limited) is getting ready to start their 24 MW Wigton III Project as described in Wind Energy is Jamaica’s Oil as PCJ ramps up Wigton Wind Farms for 320 million kWh.

Wigton III Project expansion is being funded by a wholly-owned subsidiary of Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica, will be funded from a US$4.6 billion dollar Loan taken from the  PetroCaribe Fund that the GOJ (Government of Jamaica) manages under a Concessionary Oil agreement with the Government of Venezuela.

Wigton III Project, which is to be built on Rose Hill beside Wigton I and Wigton II, will boost WWFL’s footprint in terms of the overall percentage of Renewable Energy to 9.36% up from 7%. Despite this, it’ll miss the 12.5% target as set under the National Energy Policy, part of Vision 2030 as I’d pointed out in Wigton Wind Farm: Origins and Future Development of Wind Energy in Jamaica.

Wigton III Project – Misses Vision 2030 Targets but sets stage for Renewable Energy Arms Race

The upgrade, slated to be completed by the First Quarter of 2015/2016 Financial Year or the Second Quarter of 2015, will see WWFL spending their PetroCaribe Fund Loan as follows:

  • US$3.3 billion in 2014
  • US$1.3 billion in 2015
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Wigton III will involve the construction of the following:

  • Twelve (12) 2000 KW Vestas V80 Wind Turbines
  • 24 MW Total combined output
  • 63 GWh Average Power Output per annum

Once added to the WWFL, the total complement of Wind Turbines will be as follows:

  • 44 Wind Turbines is
  • 62.7 MW of installed capacity
  • 150 GWh Average Power Output per annum

That’s enough power to provide energy for about 32,000 households as the GOJ seeks to diversify our Power Matrix from Fossil Fuel Energy to Renewable Energy. In the process of being constructed over the next twelve (12) months, Wigton III will result in the following:

  • 125 temporary jobs
  • JA$565 million in Net Profit for the fiscal year
  • 200% higher year-on-year from sales of $1.6 billion
  • 9.36% of Jamaicans’ Energy will be from Renewables, an increase from 7%

WWFL and the 115 MW of Renewable Energy – Alternative Energy can solve Jamaica’s power Problem

In fact, WWFL is one of three (3) bidders to supply 115 MW of Renewable Energy under the Renewable Energy Project to the JPS Co Energy Grid via IPPA’s (Independent Power Producers Agreement) along with Blue Mountain Renewables as described in Blue Mountain Renewables – Wind Energy Contender in a 115MW Alternative Energy Contract dominated by Solar.

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wind-farm

The competitive bidding process saw the list in the article above whittle down to the [3] following three (3):

  • WWFL is providing 24MW of Wind Energy
  • BMR is providing 42MW of Wind Energy
  • WRB Enterprises Inc is providing 20MW of Solar Power
  • The total of Renewable Energy thus far is 78MW
  • The shortfall is 37MW

This shortfall back then in October 2013 had resulted in the Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining placing blame squarely at the feet of the OUR (Office of Utilities Regulation), which for its part responded with a promise to place a RFP (Request for Proposal) for the remaining 37 MW.

Hopefully with the current difficulties with the 381 MW LNG (Liquid Natural Gas) Project that has seen EWI (Energy World International) lose their License and Dr. Vincent Lawrence stepping in to oversee the process, there should be a renewed focus on the idea that Alternative Energy can be used not just save on Imported Oil, but to Power the Entire Country.

Wigton III Project may be the start of a Renewable Energy Revolution in Jamaica!

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