KINGSTON, Jamaica— Jamaica College and José Martí Technical High School are poised to benefit from the two largest solar systems being provided under the Schools Energy Efficiency and Solar Energy Public-Private Partnership (PPP) pilot project.

Thirty schools across Jamaica were selected for the pilot, which commenced in March 2022.

Executive Director of the National Education Trust (NET), Latoya Harris-Ghartey, advised that the two schools have the highest energy costs.

The average energy cost for the 30 schools under the pilot is approximately $8,347,350 per annum.

“The target is to reduce energy consumption by 40 to 70 per cent across all 30 schools, with a simple payback calculated for all 30 schools at between three to five years,” she said.

Other objectives of the pilot project are creating an energy conservation and efficiency education programme and demonstrating the model for effective replicability throughout the school system.

Harris-Ghartey explained that the solar photovoltaic system that is being installed in the schools is grid-tied, without the use of battery storage.

It will be used for lighting, cooling, plug loads and all other energy usages by the institutions during normal operating hours.

“The system will be tied into the JPS (Jamaica Public Service) grid so that when the solar system is low in production, for example at nights, there will be an automatic changeover to JPS. During the summer months when schools are closed, the excess production from the solar system will be sold to JPS under a standard offer contract net billing system arrangement between the Ministry of Education and Youth, through NET,” Harris-Ghartey informed.

The pilot spans 15 years, and Harris-Ghartey noted that the long-term nature is typical for public-private partnerships such as these.

An assessment for scale-up will be conducted in year three, following full solar installation and commissioning of the systems.

She noted that a scale-up plan has already been drafted for execution, once approval is granted by the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service.

Participating schools are grouped in four zones, covering all parishes:

Zone 1: Kingston, St Andrew and St Catherine— Spanish Town High, Jonathan Grant High, José Martí Technical High, Bridgeport High, Penwood High, Jamaica College, Mona High and Trench Town Polytechnic College.

Zone 2: St Thomas, Portland, St Mary and St Ann— Yallahs High, Morant Bay High, Port Antonio High, Titchfield High, Buff Bay High, Tacky High and Ocho Rios High.

Zone 3: Clarendon, Manchester, St Ann and Trelawny— Westwood High, St Hilda’s Diocesan High, Brown’s Town High, Christiana High, Denbigh High, Holmwood Technical High, Knox College and Edwin Allen High.

Zone 4: Hanover, Westmoreland, St Elizabeth and St James— Rusea’s High, Frome Technical High, Petersfield High, Cornwall College, St James High, Muschette High and Black River High.

The US$5-million Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) was signed on March 29, 2022, with the Energy Savings Company (ESCO).

-JIS