Comparing WAPA rates to other Caribbean islands

Deja vu. I think if you do a search you'll find that this issue was discussed at length a long time ago on this forum. There are several very valid reasons why some of these islands benefit from cheaper electric rates than those to which we're subjected.

It's worth posting again, and I'm sure I have put something in this posting that might not have been posted previously.

BTW: do you happen to have those links handy for the old posts? I just did a quick search and there are pages and pages of posts about WAPA — to find the one about Caribbean electric rates would take longer than I care to devote to the search.

Also, FWIW - there is no rule that a poster has to do a search before posting....

Trinidad + Tobago is an oil-rich nation, so they heavily subsidize their energy rates.

BTW: do you happen to have those links handy for the old posts? I just did a quick search and there are pages and pages of posts about WAPA — to find the one about Caribbean electric rates would take longer than I care to devote to the search.

Also, FWIW - there is no rule that a poster has to do a search before posting....

No I don't off the top of my head. I do recall at the time that there was a lot of discussion revolving around the whys and wherefores of different rates throughout the Caribbean - such as STXBob just mentioned. Aruba is part of the Netherlands Antilles which also receives special rates via the Curacao refinery. There's ongoing discussion in the news about what effect the possible closing of that refinery will have upon their rates.

BTW (and FWIW) did I intimate that there was some sort of rule in place such as you mention?

OT - no you did not intimate there is a rule in place - I just got touchy because I know about the search option and didn't need to be reminded of it.

I don't think it's fare to compare the VI with other Caribbean islands, because the topography varies from island to island. Islands with rivers (which the VI doesn't have) and boiling lakes, etc, have more options.

When I was in Grenada last year, our hotel had solar hot water. By the afternoon the hot water was depleted. Eco vacationers probably wouldn't mind, but most visitors expected hot water on demand. Hot water, IMO, gives VIERS an edge over Maho, but it's no longer a consideration since Maho is closing soon.

It's worth posting again, and I'm sure I have put something in this posting that might not have been posted previously.

Agreed. It's worthy discussion. There was a poster a while back, Lucy, who would frequently bring up alterantive solutions for our WAPA problem--some good idea, some bad ideas. Lucy took a lot of heat from a select group. and just kinds vanished. Too bad. At this point all discussion should be encouraged.

Looking at what other islands do is a great start.

I'm still here .... but only weigh in when I think I can add value. I personally have interfaced with many of the other island's utilities. The major difference and why they have lower rates is that they all use medium spjeed IC (diesel) engine generators that are now 45 to 50% efficient. If you go the the web site for Senator Sanes, there is a presentation / proposal from Wartsilla that can be downloaded. These units are duel-fuel oil and NG. The VI problem is that we have NO money to invest and WAPA officials would never agree to give up the generation responsibility / authority / power .... no pun intended.

Other than diesel engine generators .... the best option would be a Small Modular Reactor, but the same issues exist with WAPA ... plus then there is the "scare" factor.

IJ,

You asked about a link to similar topics. This one presents a Bermuda video that discusses their progression to the IC engine generators. Initially they too thought renewables (solar and wind) were the "savior" and found out differntly. Solar / wind are good for individual businesses and homes with net-metering, but can not be counted on for a majority of grid demand ... for various reasons that cost big money.

https://www.vimovingcenter.com/talk/read.php?4,170683

58c /KWATT IN MAY. WHAT ABOUT 68C/KWATT IN AUGUST. WHY STOP GO FOR 1.00/KWATT AFTER ALL IT IS WAPA AND HODGE IS IN CONTROL. NO ONE HAS THE BACK BONE TO FIRE HIM AND GET SOMEONE WHO CAN PLAN. AND HODGE ONLY MAKE 200K A YEAR AND HIS WONDERFUL PLANNING GOT US TO 58C/KWATT. AND HIS PLANNING WILL LEAD US ON.

AFTER ALL THE AVERAGE RATE IN THE MAIN LAND IS ONLY 10C/KWATT. HE IS ONLY SIX TIMES THE MAIN LAND RATE.

NOTHING WILL CHANGE EXCEPT WAPA TELLING YOU TO USE LESS SO YOU DON'T PAY SO MUCH.

IT IS ABOUT TIME THE SENATORS STOP PASSING STUPID BILLS AND GET DOWN TO WHAT WILL KILL THIS ISLAND! WAPA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BillD is correct. The incestious situation has caused this .... but I don't see anyone local stepping in to change it. Best would be for the Feds to take over, at least for high level decision making.

On a positive note, this anaerobic digestor idea is a good way to augment baseload power production. However, from studies that I was involved with, they tend to only break even. It will come down to what WAPA pays for the electric generated. Like the large solar projects, WAPA only pays 15 cents per kWh. That may not be enough here.

http://stthomassource.com/content/news/local-news/2013/05/09/tibbar-energy-teams-agriculture-wma

So what do you all think about this:

Tibbar Energy Teams with Agriculture, WMA article:
http://stthomassource.com/content/news/local-news/2013/05/09/tibbar-energy-teams-agriculture-wma

I don't know about the technologly or drawbacks to this but it looks like a step in the right direction, especially for STX and all the flat land available there.

Here is the correct link to the article, "Tibbar Energy Teams with Agriculture, VIWMA "
http://stthomassource.com/content/news/local-news/2013/05/09/tibbar-energy-teams-agriculture-viwma

Alana, as I said in my above post, the Tibbar project will work and is proven in several locations in Europe. All of the organic fraction of the MSW from Frankfurt goes thru a similar facility making compost and electric. Unfortunately it only breaks even ... but does resolve their landfill issue. A for-profit company might have a tough go. Also, about 75% of the energy content in the fuel feedstock is consumed in making the methane gas.

I can't remember what counrty, I recently read about that had to import garbage to feed its plant that supplies energy. If I find the article, I'll post it.

Found the link:

http://www.takepart.com/article/2013/05/01/energy-from-waste-alternative-energy-sources-oslo-norway?cmpid=tpnews-eml-2013-05-04-student

Actually the Oslo project can be economical since 100% of the energy content is utilized. This plant consumes the combustilbe part of the MSW and they have made it environmentally compliant. Unfortunately, there were too mainly untrusting VIslanders that could of had a similar plant .... but they drove out Alpine Energy. So now we have both a MSW and electric problem.