28264: Walker (reply) re: 28226: Morse(comment) Haiti's energy future (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: John Walker <jcfwalker@earthlink.net>

Dear colleagues,

Richard Morse makes intelligent points about Haiti's energy future.  He
writes, "Would the international community be ready to try something new
here?"

The short answer is Yes, although only well proven and practical solutions
will be supportable in Haiti.  Experiments are probably not appropriate.  I
have had meaningful discussions with various international financial
institutions (IFIs) regarding wind generation during the past year, and I
hope to integrate wind energy into projects over the next several years,
possibly a limited pilot project in the next year.

Actually Haiti has better prospects in the energy area than people are
generally aware of.  Renewable resources especially wind are certainly
important components, and wind is highly viable on the north coast, Cap and
points east and west along Cote de Fer.  Less so for PAP, although maybe
higher up on Kenscoff.

As for fuels, it would be sad indeed to see Haiti become a refinery center,
the money would go mostly to Venezuela and a few grands mangeurs in PAP.
Refineries and oil transshipment ports are challenging and expensive to
operate in a clean manner, and clean coastlines and bays are an important
resource Haiti should not lose.  Anyone who has spent time in Eastern
Europe knows how socialist governments (I am talking of Venezuela not
Haiti) perform on environmental protection.  Poor countries are easy to
lean on in this regard.

Far better for Haiti to develop her own indigenous fuel resources,
primarily lignite, which is quite practical for power generation.  More
research is needed, but the known reserves are good quality, low in sulfur,
similar to western USA coals and well located for mine-head power
generation.  Using modern clean mining and electricity production
technology, these reserves could give Haiti a big help in achieving energy
independence and might even warrant electricity export to the Dom Rep (also
chronically short on energy), thus creating important export income for
Haiti.  My Haitian colleagues and I hope to work on this over the next 2 to
5 years, following successful development of projects that will help
support this.  If possible we will advance in a public-private partnership
with support from IFIs as well as involvement of the Haitian government.

As always, Thanks Bob for keeping this great intellectual resource for
Haiti going!

Also, Thanks Richard for keeping the lights on and energy level high (RAM)
at my favorite hotel!  May have a gig for you soon.

John

Essayons -- Let us try!