i am looking for businesses that deal in wind and solar power, prefer here in st. bess if possible, but don't mind to use someone further away
does anyone here have any suggestions to help me out
respect

http://www.go-greenjamaica.com/

Gave a very thorough quote for us and have a friend who has used them.

Several properties in TB have used them and they have an office in Junction.

Contact Isratech in Mandeville. They have been in business for 15 years at least. Great product/great service. contact info is 876-603-3095 or email info@isratech.com

Good sales pitch. I needed the same information so thanks for this.

thanks for the responses,
i am still waiting to hear back from go green jamaica, so i will try isratech in mandeville, it is not so far from me
it don't make no sense to pay jps when you have free wind and sun

cool and breezy,

I recommend Alternative Energy Plus, and may I emphasize, I rate them to the max.
They are located in Mandeville.
Here is their website: aepjm.com

My experience with them was nothing short of professional. They were responsive, patient, helpful, and knowledgeable and reasonable.

Call them, speak to Tamara or Morris. 632-2590

green jamaica never writes back

What remarkable growth Alternative Energy Plus has shown since its beginnings in the founder's (Morris Hutchinson) home in Portmore, near Kingston. With his engineering background, he experimented with a variety of wind turbines & solar PV arrays eking out efficiencies & reliability in the systems.
Morris picked up some promising media play as an energetic entrepreneur/designer/contractor, but as a home-based business many searching the Renewable Energy field wondered if he would ever be around to honour the 20 to 25 year warranties that have been touted for solar collectors.

We note that he has moved to larger quarters in Portmore, also Ocho Rios, and what for Treasure Beach must be considered a "local" outlet at the Juici Plaza in Mandeville.

What anyone installing a solar energy or wind turbine system in a developing country ought to be concerned about, especially if not grid-tied--going off-the-grid--is servicing of the system & long term reliability of the company.
When a lightening strike fries your inverters, a hurricane damages your collectors/framing, or your storage batteries are losing "life" (loads) faster than projected, it's good to know that a service agent is flying towards your distress.

Also, in terms of educating buyers/customers on Conservation & thereby prolonging your system, a company like AEP seems poised to answer those concerns.

After you've turned in your Electrical Consumption Analysis for your new/existing home or business to AEP, I can personally testify that you'll receive one of the finest System Analyses on the Island. The technical engineering caveat still applies: "garbage in, garbage out", and you'll need to be mindful of your greatest electrical "draws" (Lighting-considerably reduced by LED's...&super energy-efficient Appliances), with the objective of going "net-zero", or maximally, pumping some of your overage back into the grid (JPS) for credits!

Video Introduction to Morris Hutchinson of AEP:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2g5aO6W58g

Whyt mentions speaking with Tamara, who is Morris' wife, confirming, we would hope, a family tenacity to succeed & survive, and perhaps assure a line of succession for the future of the business!

Gleaner Highlighting Morris
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20110109/news/news7.html

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20100502/business/business2.html

When viewing Alternative Energy Plus' Gallery of Installations, I'm reminded of the issues arising out of the mentalities of engineers and architects...the whole "Form follows function" relationship concept, and how much concerns aesthetics may play in the Design of a Solar PV/Solar Water Heater (SHW) systems. What are the optimums-ideals & what are the tradeoffs (costs/existing conditions etc)?

It is recognized that if building from the ground-up & designing for optimal solar on the south coast of Jamaica, site design (passive landscaping elements...), roof areas & south-facing sloping angles are among some of the critical first decisions to seamlessly fit the required modules in as inconspicuously as possible. (reducing eye-sores as much as practical).

No PV array sticks out more than one that is akimbo to the roof lines. And facing an array due south when no roof surfaces point in that direction can really bring attention to the rooftop.
These installations are at the root of what got PV and SHW systems banned in communities that have strict design standards….Home Power Magazine
Since there are no community standards, zoning or covenants dictating Alternative Energy Design, locally, it seems incumbent on the home owners design team to follow best knowledge & standards…not the least of which are Passive Design principles, involving Siting/Landscaping for shading/cooling purposes.

“Key to the home’s energy footprint is a passive solar design that minimizes active heating and cooling needs. The German Passivhaus standard served as a guiding force during the design process.”
(Home Power)
You might ask the architect-owner of MarBlu Domicil, who is from Germany, about these principles over a tasty dining experience & a bottle of wine.

It's a given that existing homes/businesses are another story & you do the best you can for your little dream cottage to beautify its tropical setting.
Home Power Magazine discusses some of these Architectural PV considerations & although it is geared to a generalized US audience, there are some key recommendations:

• Ideas that are particularly suited for this climate are the bi-facial PV modules used as patio covers & car ports.

www.homepower.com/articles/solar-electricity/design-installation/architectural-p v-design-considerations?

Another Home Power Magazine article showcases a Colorado home (2,302SF--7kW solar electric canopy), which may seem a little far-fetched for these local considerations, but aptly describes many of the choices, limitations & trade-offs of trying to achieve a highly rated sustainable piece of architecture, even though the LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) standards (check lists) might drive any designer up a wall.

Home Power Magazine: Platinum With PV
www.homepower.com/articles/home-efficiency/project-profiles/platinum-pv?v=print

Some Aesthetic Considerations for Solar Hot Water Systems (Active circulation without the attached roof-top storage tank):
www.solardirect.com/swh/aet/aet.htm

Manufacturers, for example, Sol Energy display Project Galleries on their web site for some attractive installations that can appear to mimic skylights on the roof.

HEART (Human Employment & Resource Training) Trust/NTA's Renewable Energy Efficiency Technology Course-- Oversubscribed:

It is expected to expose students to various systems for harnessing energy from renewable sources, energy management and efficiency and energy conservation....the decision was driven by labour market intelligence and is in line with the country’s medium-term development goal to increase renewable energy use by 15 per cent by 2020....“The programme offered by NTEI is expected to train and certify a competent workforce that will give significant support to the 2030 Vision imperatives while creating a sustainable workforce in renewable energy and efficiency”.

It's good to see growing interest in the field, and high hopes that graduates are not disappointed when they graduate and start looking for competent, responsible and market-savvy employers
ambitious to advance this Energy Sector.

Observer Link:
www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/HEART-course-oversubscribed

for me honestly, i feel if a company cannot take the time to respond to my email enquiry then what is gonna happen when a hurricane takes down my power source or i have some other such challenge

sorry for go green jamaica

thank you everyone for your input
i will be sure to check out alternative energy plus
one love

MORE on Aesthetics in the Field & Practice of Alternative Energy...Coming to a Caribbean Island Near You...When Practicality/Costs & Efficiencies Are Un-Deniable!

From A US Perspective--But Think of Rock-Bottom Prices of Solar Products Coming Out of China:

Converting your house to solar energy increases the value of your home by roughly 3.5 percent, according the National Bureau of Economic Research. But what if you live in a neighborhood with strict HOA covenants? Or you're worried about voiding your roof warranty by attaching something to it? Or you simply don't like the look of bulky panels and mounting racks on your roof?

The solution might lie in the next generation of solar products that combine photovoltaic cells with traditional building materials, such as roof shingles, so they are part of the building, not an add-on. BIPV (building-integrated photovoltaic) technology speeds up installation, reducing labor costs, and gets around the roof-warranty problem.

LINK: HGTV Remodels:
www.hgtvremodels.com/home-systems/aesthetically-pleasing-options-in-solar-power/ index.html

Solar Panels Get Aesthetic Designs:
Bulky and obtrusive rack-mounted solar panels may be a thing of the past.

Spurred by recent advances in technology, solar panel makers are scrambling to come up with neater and cleaner products that will overcome the aesthetic objections of home owners to traditional solar panels.

They are building their technology directly into different kinds of roof tiles, hiding them in walls and lining the tops of patio awnings with them.

"Bottom line, people don't want goofy looking roofs," said Julie Blunden of solar panel manufacturer SunPower Corp.

"Solar power today is where air conditioning was in 1950 -- everything is a window unit designed for retrofit on existing construction -- its more expensive, its not as good, its not as a cost effective...But by 1960 no one built a building without saying 'Should I put a central air system in?' - and the same thing is going to happen with solar."

Reuters Link:
www.reuters.com/article/2008/07/21/us-energy-solar-aesthetics-idUSN1826474420080 721

How often does it happen that an immensely wealthy business person, who owns his own Caribbean Island, looks around at the pollution (carbon footprint) that his enterprises are creating & questions what would Sustainable Alternative Energy look like in the Caribbean region, if he would throw his financial, organizational & persuasive influence behind the effort?

Richard Branson, the CEO and founder of the Virgin Group of companies, is hosting a three-day meeting of political and business leaders at Necker Island, his home in the British Virgin Islands where he has developed an exclusive eco-resort showcasing renewable energy technology.
The event is organized by the Carbon War Room, a nonprofit company Branson co-founded to promote cutbacks in greenhouse-gas emissions through smart private enterprise. It hopes to help small islands become carbon-neutral by accelerating commercial investment. Political delegations from 13 countries and territories, including several heads of state, are attending along with representatives from dozens of companies and multinational organizations.

Branson said he believes the sun-splashed, wind-swept Caribbean can set a global example by embracing renewable power and energy self-reliance. The region with deep renewable resources and scant energy security now derives nearly all of its electricity from plants that burn imported oil and diesel.

“We’re hoping to get a number of islands to sign up to get as carbon-neutral as they can over the next few years,” Branson said in a phone interview from Necker, a 74-acre getaway for jetsetters that is also home to over 200 flamingoes.

Soaring power costs and the lack of energy security are major regional concerns. Jose Maria Figueres, a former Costa Rican president who is now the president of the Carbon War Room, said most import-dependent Caribbean islands pay 35 to 55 cents per kilowatt hour. Miami-area households pay an average of 11.5 cents per kilowatt hour.

Regional governments have long recognized that pricey oil-generated power from utilities with a virtual monopoly on electricity makes their fragile economies even less competitive but most have made little progress with solar, wind and geothermal power. But proven renewable energy technologies offer islands the chance to reduce this significant burden for their economies and consumers, Figueres said.

Jamaican Energy Minister Philip Paulwell recently said his country must reduce power costs from 42 cents per kilowatt hour to between 15-18 cents to be more competitive.
Loan funding and removing taxes on solar energy equipment “will enable our people to participate in generating their own electricity and to sell it back to the grid.”

Since cash-strapped Caribbean governments don’t have the money to introduce new public generating assets, independent power producer models are used on the islands, said Lynn Tabernacki, managing director of renewable energy programs at the U.S. government’s Overseas Private Investment Corporation.

... Tabernacki said Caribbean island states present an opportunity, contrary to most markets where there is a struggle for renewables to achieve grid parity and considerable commercial and political risks if it’s not achieved.
Because in the Caribbean renewables would compete with the high cost of diesel and imported oil, she said there’s a “strong commercial argument for making the switch as quickly and efficiently as possible.”

“The islands of the Caribbean have a significant opportunity to implement renewable energy and energy efficiency projects that could have dramatic economic, social, and environmental impacts,” ...

Read More @:
www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/branson-hosts-renewable-energy-summit- in-caribbean/2014/02/04/4d68075a-8dc1-11e3-99e7-de22c4311986_print.html


We know that islands will suffer the most from climate change and sea-level rise. Reefs will be devastated, and wildlife decimated...It's realistic to think that whole islands could be 75-80% clean energy in four to five years. It might not make sense to do the last 25%, but they all ought to be able to go 75-80% using wind and solar energy.

"Governments [here] need help. I think a lot of ministers may be new to the job; they can't be experts at climate or energy. Some need a helping hand to make the transition to renewables. We can really save families 40% of what they have to pay for electricity...
---Richard Branson

www.theguardian.com/business/2014/feb/08/richard-branson-caribbean-green-virgin- renewable-energy