Originally published December 7 2005
Government officials begin the process of moving Antigua toward renewable energy
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Professor Al Binger from the United Nations Development Programme country office in Barbados cooperated with Chief Environmental Officer Diane Black-Layne and others from the Environment Division to inform the media of energy policies that will be drafted in the coming months, as Antigua shifts its energy needs to renewable sources.
Media professionals were the target audience yesterday, when the Environment Division hosted a special press briefing on issues related to the production of sustainable energy in small island developing states like Antigua & Barbuda.
Professor Al Binger from the United Nations Development Programme country office in Barbados joined Chief Environmental Officer Diane Black-Layne and other representatives from the Environment Division in educating and updating local journalists on the need to diversify Antigua's energy sources by adopting green energy programmes.
This summer, the Division tabled a proposal that, if adopted, would have the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) filling 40 per cent of its energy needs from renewable sources.
Over the next year, Binger will be actively consulting with the Environment Division as Antigua & Barbuda seeks to craft and implement a comprehensive and effective energy policy.
Binger emphasised the need for the country to take control of its energy sector in the face of increasingly dire economic and environmental trends.
Among the avenues for this green approach are a waste-to-energy plan in the short term and an ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) programme in order to harness power from the surrounding sea.
Both of these programmes have the capacity to play a strong role in supplementing the existing petroleum-based system, which has the disadvantage of being environmentally unfriendly, with high emissions of greenhouse gases and escalating oil prices.
Black-Lane said the technology is well within Antigua & Barbuda's grasp to make the nation fully reliant on less expensive renewable energy.
The chief environmental officer discussed in detail the benefits of a waste energy plant, which would convert the 250 tonnes of waste which Antigua produces daily into energy.
She pointed out that other countries in the region, including St. Lucia and St. Kitts/Nevis have begun looking into renewable energy and may potentially see significant drops in energy costs.
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