St. Kitts looks to solar energy to relieve high energy costs
By Ryan Haas
Reporter-SKNVibes.com
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Control Center for the solar panel
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BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS-THE largest solar panel ever built by the government was completed this week and David Lee, a specialist contracted by the Taiwanese government to supervise its construction, said that if this test panel is successful, an increased use of solar energy may be in the future of St. Kitts & Nevis.
“This is the first case of collaboration like this between St. Kitts and Taiwan, and I hope this first test will not be the last,” said Lee, who works as an aircraft technician in his home country. “Solar power would reduce the energy costs of government and private households dramatically.”
The panel, which measures 480 square feet, was constructed on the roof of the St. Kitts Information and Communications (ICT) Center, Bay Road, Basseterre and according to the technician, can generate as much as 10 kilowatts of power in a single hour when running at maximum capacity.
The solar panel is estimated to produce 40 kilowatts of energy per day, enough to fully power as many as three homes, and Lee opined that it should be powerful enough to meet most of the energy needs of the ICT Center.
The technician also suggested that solar power is a good alternative energy choice for the Caribbean because the amount of solar radiation generated in this part of the world is much higher than in many other areas.
“Solar energy is also one of the best alternative energy sources because there are no moving parts, it crea
tes no noise and produces no carbon emissions. It is a completely ‘green’ alternative to petroleum,” Lee informed.
~~Adz:Left~~ He stated that the cost of solar panels for the private consumer remains quite high, however, with the average home owner requiring a 3 kilowatt panel to meet his/her energy needs. Lee said that type of technology could cost about US $30,000.
“The cost of solar panels can be dependent on a government’s renewable energy policy. Many governments with these policies will pay for 40-50 % of the installation cost or they may offer tax breaks.
“We hope that this test panel will be successful and St. Kitts will approve a solar energy policy like those of Taiwan, Japan and Germany so we can keep this country beautiful,” Lee said.
In addition to converting the sun’s light into electricity, Lee told SKNVibes.com that the polycrystalline cells of the solar panel were strategically placed over the main classroom of the ICT Center, providing shade and further reducing the cooling costs of the building.
