A $7.7-million investment by the PetroCaribe Development Fund (PCDF) to Munro College’s renewable energy programme seeks to

help diversify Jamaica’s energy landscape.

Through collaboration with Wigton Windfarm Limited, the investment will see the rehabilitation of a wind turbine on the school’s campus in St Elizabeth, along with the expansion of an educational programme aimed at sensitising students about the importance of renewable energy.

The manager of the PetroCaribe Development Fund, Sharon Weber said the initiative serves to support the long-term objectives of the PCDF by promoting the use of alternative fuel to young Jamaicans who will be able to further spread the message to the general population.

“What we are trying to do is start early in emphasising the importance of finding alternative sources of energy. By investing in this project, it exposes the [Munro College] school body to renewable energy, which is then an opportunity for the youngsters to be transformed and potentially be able to transform the sector,” Weber told the Jamaica Observer.

The instructive aspect of the project will see the Wigton Resource Centre in Manchester providing technical know-how about wind farm operations to Munro College students through a number of green energy workshops.

Weber added that the PCDF is committed to reducing Jamaica’s dependence on oil, which last year alone accounted for almost half of the country’s total imports to the tune of US$2.4 billion ($207 billion), compared to export earnings of only US$1.66 billion for the same period.

Other PCDF energy diversification initiatives include financing the current Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) project, and providing loans through the Development Bank of Jamaica to private sector enterprises in order to reduce their operation energy costs.

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