Rick Lowe
Mr. Mark Humes, chairman of the DNA, was recently quoted in The Nassau Guardian feature column, "My Ten Cents", as saying "We need to introduce renewable energy sources like solar, hydro and wind that can all be used to bring down the cost of doing business". (http://bit.ly/A0fT4m)
Preserving the environment is one thing, and it might even be desirable for the political class to encourage us to be more conscious of this, but even a country the size of the United Kingdom relies on coal, gas and nuclear for over 90% of its energy requirements. So is it even feasible at this point in time for an investment in these so called "green" technologies for The Bahamas?
Using an iPhone App that measures the UK Grid Carbon Intensity, developed by the University of Southampton called GridCarbon, only 3.9% of the UK's power was from Wind and .9% from Hydro. Coal accounted for 54.8%, Gas 20.6% and Nuclear 20% (as at 1:45am GMT on February 4, 2012). See image at left.
What is the cost of a wind farm or hydro plant? Where would they have to be placed to work? How about solar panels large enough to run a power grid for an average New Providence neighbourhood? In other words, has a cost benefit analysis been done or are these cute, throw away lines at election time?
Sure, why not dream of a cleaner and cheaper way of producing electricity. But to suggest this technology or even our ability to use it in a practical manner is available and at prices we can afford any time soon, so the price of business will be reduced, is little more than a pipe dream.
Lets protect the environment of course, but we also have to be practical about it.
