Students Gain Knowledge of Wind Energy in Jamaica

"It was quite informative, we got a number of questions answered and it serves as a point for us, as renewables research students, to gain more information, and to share what we have learnt," stated University of the West Indies (UWI) Department of Physics graduate student, Sherian Scarlet, in an interview with JIS News.

"We are the future, and we need to keep building up the education system, so that everyone can understand what this wind turbines means for us, as a country," said second year student at Northern Caribbean University (NCU), Charles Quinones.

General Manager of Wigton Wind Farm, Earl Barrett, told the workshop that wind energy is definitely the way for the future, especially for clean and sustainable energy. He invited the participants to share the information for the long term development of the country.

"We hope to bring most Jamaicans, if not all, along, with us to embrace renewable energy, energy conservation, and energy efficiency. We hope that you will take it to your classrooms, your companies, grab the ideas and make energy efficiency a reality in Jamaica," he said.

The workshop looked at the development phases of a wind park, selection of the right equipment, wind farm layout, operation and maintenance and performance and diagnostics of wind turbines.

Wigton will be hosting at least one workshop per quarter, open to the general public, and they hope to also develop more integrated programmes with universities. The wind farm is driven by as vision to be a catalyst for increased usage of wind power for electricity.

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