Sugar cane could soon be used to generate electricity

Sugar cane could soon be used to generate electricity

Web Posted - Wed Aug 03 2005
THE volume of electricity generated from the proposed imported natural gas from Trinidad and Tobago would have to be adequate to justify the large investments involved.

In addition, there are at least four issues that need to be addressed as Light and Power Holdings Limited (LPH) looks to pursue a programme to generate fuel from sugar cane.

These are some of the issues addressed by Andrew Gittens, managing director of the Light and Power Holdings, in his report in the companys financial statements for 2004.

A number of proposals are being canvassed for converting electricity from sources other than the traditional imported fuels.

It is believed that while investments would be high, in the long run, the cheaper electricity generated would redound to the benefits of consumers and industrial of users.

Up to late last year, Trinidad and Tobago had put forward the idea of a pipeline to export natural gas from Tobago to a number of Caribbean islands including Barbados. It was also proposed that compressed natural gas being transported also from that source using tugs and barges.

Either way, lead time of some three to four years would be required before gas would reach Barba-dos, said Mr. Gittens.

Additionally, the volume of electricity generated would have to be adequate in order to justify the large investments involved and to ensure that the gas delivery would be at competitive rates, the company official made it clear.

He noted though that the possibilities are exciting and could lead to energy at a price that would be more predictable and stable.

He also addressed the subject of using sugar cane to generate electricity.

Under the proposal, bagasse, a by-product of sugar production, would be used to fuel the sugar processing plant, while exporting around 35 000 kilowatts to the electricity grid.

Gittens said that conceptually, fuel cane with its high-fibre content would significantly increase the tonnage reaped per acre and would be harvested year round.

However, he said that the issues needed to be addressed include:

" fuel supply reliability and how this may be affected by weather or seasonal conditions;

" the long-term outlook for fuel cane production and its ability to parallel the 25- to 30-year life expected of a power plant;

" to identify an alternative fuel and its price in case of the unavailability of fuel cane, and

" the economics of a project that would produce electricity, sugar and ethanol.

Gittens said that natural gas is the most environmentally friendly of the fossil fuels and is the fuel of choice for power generation where it is available.

The Light and Power Holdings Limited official said fuel cane represents a possible renewable energy source.

The company and the Ministry of Agriculture and the Barbados Agricul-tural Management Com-pany are to explore all the possibilities related to the project.

The Light and Power has completed work on a new low speed diesel plant at the companys Spring Garden, St. Michael, Power station. It will produce an additional amount of 60 megawatts of electricity for customers.

The new power plant constructed at a cost of Bds $120 million, will help to moderate the effects of the high fuel prices.