Tendai Franklyn-Brown, Staff Reporter

"The National Energy Programme (NEP) is not doing enough to conserve energy and it needs to be reviewed," said Diana McCaulay, director of the Jamaica Environ-ment Trust (JET).

In an interview with The Gleaner, McCaulay cited a number of financial and environmental cost implications with regards to conserving energy.

"We have very large hotels that require a large amount of air conditioning, and elevators, these are very high users of energy, that's locking us into a form of development that requires higher energy.

"If your housing policy was to build closer to work centres, if the transport policy emphasised public transport and tourism policy was to emphasise the kind of developments that require low use of energy, then you would find you have a better energy policy. It cannot be the isolation of these other national areas of life alone," she said.

McCaulay suggested that Government policy needs to do more to promote alternative energy resources, such as solar and wind, as the impact will not be sufficient with individuals alone.

Financial incentives

"What sort of impact and how much you get would depend entirely on whether it's one person with a solar water heater or the whole country? There needs to be incentives, financial incentives to have renewable energy and disincentives to have conventional forms of energy.

"If you were driving a hybrid car, you should get a tax break from all the duties and GCT should be taken off renewable energy. Cars that use lots of gas should be prohibitively expensive," she said.

In an effort to reduce the economical pinch, more people are seeking long-term energy conservation practices as a means of limiting expenses used on conventional energy resources.

Tamekia Williams, sales manager at Isratech Limited, told The Gleaner sales of solar water heaters are on the increase, serving clients from varying socio-economic groups. "Sales are on the increase and we have a range of solar heaters, which are affordable and sell out quite quickly. We have three different sizes and they last between 20-30 years and are durable, but it depends on the area you live in and the water quality," Williams said.

Saves 1,825 kWh per year

According to information obtained from the ministry of energy, the average household saves around 1,825 kWh per year by operating solar water heaters in place of electric heaters. Williams reiterated the economic incentives and savings solar energy could provide customers, citing research done by the company in January this year.

"After two to three years, the product, which costs $96,000, will have paid for itself, after which the average person could save up to $43, 000 a year on energy as opposed to electric heaters," she said.

tendai.franklyn-brown@gleanerjm.com