Hydro-electricity

Hydro-electricity is a form of a renewable energy resource which uses the

power created from falling or running water to produce electricity. Hydroelectricity is generated from falling or running water since the movement of
the water creates kinetic energy (hydro-power) which can then be converted
into electricity. This can be done using hydro-electric plants which uses a
turbine to spin the water flowing through it from dams/reservoirs. This
spinning action turns on the generator that produces the electricity and
hence, produces hydro-electricity.

Diagram showing how a hydro-electric plant works.

In the Caribbean, there are areas introduced to constant flow systems which
make the conversion to hydro-electricity possible in small streams. However
because of poor agricultural practices and poor management of the forests
within most of these islands, the potential use of hydroelectricity has
diminished. It is also costly to purchase the technology necessary for
converting hydropower to electricity and many Caribbean islands may not be
able to afford these machines. Additionally, most Caribbean islands may not
have enough space to support these processes.
The only islands which may be able to generate hydro-electricity in the
Caribbean and receive economical benefits, are the larger ones with still
existing flowing rivers and more mountainous areas such as Jamaica, St
Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica and Suriname.

Caribbean based, Dominica is the largest producer of hydro-electricity,

generating 7.0 billion kWh. The hydro-power station, Padu, situated on the
Roseau River, downstream of Trafalgar in Dominica, contains 2 generators
which, along with Trafalgar( another hydro-power house in Dominica)
generated almost all the energy requirements for the country for some years

Part of the hydro-electricity complex in Trafalgar

Another hydro-electric plant in Dominica is the Tavera Dam situated in River

Yaque Del Norte,the largest river in Dominica. This hydro-electric plant was
completed in 1972.The electricity generated from hydro-electric stations in
Dominica account for 40% of the electricity used within the island.

Tavera Dam in river Yaque del Norte,Dominica

In the Caribbean, the countries which produce hydro-electricity use it as an

alternative source of energy to fuel any electrically powered appliances in
businesses or even just regular homes and thus saves a lot economically.
For the last 15 years, more and more islands within the Caribbean have
made tremendous progress in generating hydro-electricity and are becoming
more conducive to the idea of relying on hydro-electricity instead of regular
electricity. For example, in 2011 the Inter-American Development Bank
approved a $20 million grant to help Haiti financially in restoring its Peligre
hydro-electric plant. After signing a French contract in 2012 with respect to
the refurbishing of the hydro-electric plant, Haiti currently uses its Peligre
hydro-electric plant as one of its source for electricity and it is the largest
green energy facility in the country.

Haitis Peligre Hydroelectric Plant

Geothermal Energy
Geothermal energy is energy generated from the thermal energy the earth
has related to its hot temperature within the core. This energy reduces the
dependence of fossil fuels and hence global warming and health risks that
come with the usage of these fossil fuels.
The most common way in which geothermal energy is generated to be used
is through the hydrothermal convection system which basically heats cool
water that may seep into the earth, causing steam to be created. This steam
then rises and may be used to generate electricity using a geothermal power
plant. Geothermal power plants work in the same way as hydro-electric
plants do in that they have turbines which , in the case of geothermal
energy, converts the energy from steam into electricity. There are three ways
in doing this which are shown in the diagrams below:

Geothermal energy may also be used for direct heating in countries experiencing
winter to keep warm. Direct heating from geothermal energy can also be used for
fish farming and drying of organic materials. Heat pumps are also used to extract
the geothermal enegy from the earth to be used for heating cool buildings or for
cooling hot buildings. Air or anti-freeze liquid pumps through pipes of the heat
pumps that are buried underground and are directed to cool or warm buildings.

In the Caribbean, there is much potential for generating geothermal energy here, as
the islands have been created above a subduction zone between the Atlantic Plate
and the Caribbean Plate which is also responsible for the arc of volcanoes in the
region. The thermal energy produced from these volcanoes are excellent for
generating geothermal energy. Also, oil and gas refineries are a large resource of
geothermal energy as a large amount of hot water or hot temperatures are
available for converting geothermal energy to electricity and in many Caribbean
islands, namely Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados oil and gas are of plenty.
However, regardless of this fact, geothermal development in the Caribbean is slow.
Most of the islands within the region depend solely on oil and gas and, in the larger
islands, hydro-electricity for energy resources. Economically, most of the Caribbean
islands can not support geothermal development and it is not really a major priority
for the energy policies of the region. There have been many attempts to discuss
the potential of sector of energy and currently Guadeloupe is the only island with a
geothermal power station.In Guadeloup, the Bouillante geothermal power station
converts geothermal energy from the ground water to electricity.

Bouillante Geothermal power station, Guadeloupe

Montserrat, St Kitts & Nevis, Dominica and St Lucia are in pursuit of growing their
geothermal energy sector and making it more important. Dominica is successfully
ahead in the exploration of geothermal energy,closely followed by Montserrat.
Hence, it is safe to say that the geothermal sector of energy in the Caribbean is
slowly but surely becoming more and developed within the years.

Sea-Wave Energy

Sea-wave energy is energy produced by waves which may be used to generate

electricity. Waves are created by the power of wind. The energy from wind is
transferred to the waves created. Hence, the stronger the wind, the bigger and
more powerful the wave becomes. The amount of energy within a wave can be
calculated to the square of its height. This means that a 3 meter tall wave has 9
times more energy than that of a 1 meter tall wave.
Wave energy is produced by generators that can be placed near the sea in wave
power station or on the surface of the sea using the Pelamis machine. In power
stations, arriving waves cause the water in the chamber to rise and fall, forcing air
into and out of the chamber. A turbine is placed inside the chamber and it uses the
movement of the air coming in and out to drive a generator which then converts
this energy into electricity.

Diagram showing how

wave power stations

work to generate

electricity

A Pelamis is a long tube

that is placed on the

surface of the ocean. This machine uses the movement of the waves to produce
electricity. As the machines goes up and down with the waves, the hinges bend and
hydraulic fluids are pumped out to power generators.

Diagram showing how a Pelamis machine works.

Generally, wave power stations are very rare as it is not easy to store wave energy
and convert it into electricity. Also the machines necessary for wave energy
conversion are quite expensive. Due to these reasons, wave energy is not widely
used in the Caribbean. It is also very hard to figure out exactly how much energy
can be harnessed in the Caribbean Sea because of the lack of marine instruments
in the region.
However, in Jamaica, wave energy technology for the generation of electric power
has been introduced to small coastal communities within the island. It is believed
that if more Caribbean islands are introduced to wave energy to electricity
conversion too, electricity prices would decrease by an average of $0.08 US as this
resource would be used instead. Unfortunately, the technology necessary for wave
energy conversion is, as mentioned previously, very expensive for most islands of
the Caribbean but organizations continue to work towards exploiting this resource
for the region.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelamis_Wave_Power
http://www.darvill.clara.net/altenerg/wave.htm
http://www.pelamiswave.com/wave-power

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http://www.credp.org/index.php?
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ml
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http://www.inverter-china.com/blog/articles/green-energy/How-wave-powerworks.html

Hydroelectricity > electricity

Geothermal energy > electricity/air conditioning/ heating / fossil fuels/