JAMAICANS have once again been urged to re-evaluate their energy sources and consumption patterns, as part of efforts to not only save money but to also stave off the ill effects of global climate change.

The call came at a climate change and energy workshop, hosted by Panos Caribbean last Tuesday at the Altamont Court Hotel in Kingston.

"We have to be encouraged to do an economic analysis of the viability that is involved and so people understand the benefits of the use of renewable energy, both as a country and as a group of consumers," said John Marcochio, chief executive officer (CEO) of Sunsource Technology.

Marcochio was among the presenters at the workshop, which forms a part of a series of activities being undertaken by Panos Caribbean's Voices for Climate Change Education project that is intended to raise public awareness about climate change issues.

The CEO also stressed the need for Government to partner with financial institutions to put systems in place for people to make use of alternative sources of energy, such as solar and wind.

However, Marcochio noted that the cost of the technology was a major obstacle to the widespread use of renewable energy sources, which would, over the long term, reduce the high energy cost that different industries and entities have to face. One such entity, he said, is the National Water Commission, which he revealed was paying millions of dollars monthly for electricity. This, he said, could easily be reduced by some thirty per cent if alternative energy sources were introduced.

Ruth Potopsingh, general manager for the Petroleum Corporation, noted that Jamaica's target is to have 12.5 per cent of its electricity coming from renewable energy sources by 2015, 25 per cent by 2020 and 20 per cent by 2025. She added that alternative energy sources such as wind, hydropower, solar, bagasse, waste-to-energy, bioethanol, biogas and photovoltaics were among the sources being looked at.

Meanwhile, meteorologist Clifford Mahlung said Jamaicans should do everything they can to stave off the impacts of climate change, which include, among other things, rising sea levels, warmer global temperatures and more extreme weather events such as droughts and/or hurricanes.

"Anything that we can do to reduce the burning of fossil fuels, which in turn will reduce the greenhouse gas emissions is a plus for us," said Mahlung, who is also Jamaica's chief climate negotiator and chairman of the Clean Development Mechanism.

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