The Tribune

BY DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

FREEPORT – Committed to finding alternative energy solutions, the Grand Bahama Power Company has embarked on a new biodiesel crop project that could be the beginning of the development of a biofuel industry in the Bahamas.

Company executives officially unveiled the project on Tuesday at the Garden of Groves, where they have begun cultivating the oil producing Jatropha Curcas plant.

The project marks an important step in the company’s plans for improving reliability, and more importantly, stabilising rates for customers in Grand Bahama.

Sarah McDonald, president and CEO of Grand Bahama Power Company; Chris Huskilson CEO of Emera Inc; and Don Muldoon, chief operating officer, CNG, Emera, Inc, marked the occasion with a ribbon cutting ceremony at the site.

Among the invited guests were Grand Bahama Port Authority president Ian Rolle and Graham Torode of the Grand Bahama Development Company.

In July, 600 Jatropha plants were planted. A total of 11 different varieties were initially brought in from the Caribbean, Central America, the United States and Indonesia, in order to determine which types would grow best in the Bahamas.

Around 30-40 per cent of the plant’s seeds are composed of an oil that can be used as fuel.

According to Don Muldoon, the projected yield is anywhere from 250 to 400 gallons per acre.

He indicated that biodiesel would replace some of their existing fuel, probably anywhere from 10 to 30 per cent.

“We are excited to be working on this project that would not only represent a new technology for this country, but also a new industry,” he said.

Even though there are several species of Jatropha, Mr Muldoon said the Jatropha Curcas is a leading candidate for biodiesel production in the Bahamas.

The seeds, he said, can be crushed to produce a vegetable oil that can be used to make biodiesel fuel they can burn at their facilities in Freeport to produce electricity.

Mr Muldoon noted that the added benefit to Grand Bahama is that it could develop a whole industry, employing many farmers, reducing dependence on foreign oil, and reducing the carbon footprint.

Mr Huskilson said Emera is actively working on renewable and alternative energy solutions to decrease its dependency on fossil fuels and address the cost of power for residents of Grand Bahama.

“Our ongoing efforts to bring compressed natural gas to this island and this bio-fuel project are two examples of possible future generation sources,” he said.