ALTech ENERGY

Recycling of waste products is not a new phenomenon to the islands of Trinidad and Tobago. We have a number of businesses and initiatives that partake in the recycling of waste products throughout the country with some of the most popular ones being Piranha International Limited, Trinidad Recycling Limited and SWMCOL. The Environmental Management Authority (EMA) introduced an initiative called iCare to help educate and encourage citizens of T&T, especially the younger generations, to recycle. In the twin island state each person is responsible for an average of 4 pounds of waste per day. With our landfills operating way over capacity, the need for proper waste management is becoming of greater and greater importance. One major problem that is faced is the number of plastic waste that is generated in the country. Plastic waste is not broken down naturally like paper and other materials. When plastic waste reaches the rivers, drains and oceans through littering, it creates majo

Carbon emissions from a power plant With the current devastation seen in the Caribbean due to Hurricane Irma, and the lingering threat that Jose further imposes, one must wonder how has global warming and a changing climate influence the nature of hurricanes over the years? Human activities such as the increasing output of carbon emissions throughout the world has significantly affected global temperatures over the years, with scientists constantly telling us that the Earth is getting warmer due to these emissions. Hurricane Irma over the Atlantic Ocean Tropical cyclones are formed only over warm ocean waters near the equator. Hurricanes, Cyclones and Typhoons are all Tropical Cyclones but can be differentiated by their location. Hurricanes occur in the Atlantic Ocean, Cyclones in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean and Typhoons in the North- West Pacific Ocean.  Tropical cyclones are driven by the transfer of heat from the sea to the air through evaporation. Its

Over the years with the increase in population, the demand and needs for electrical energy has also seen an exponential growth. Since electrical power is constantly used in the daily lives of citizens , without it, life as we know it will not exist. In order to get electricity to our jobs and homes the electricity grid is used. The electricity grid is an electrical power system network made up of the electricity generating plant, the transmission lines, the substations, transformers, the distribution lines and the consumers. In Trinidad and Tobago, we have an interconnected national grid system which transports the electricity from the power plant to the consumers and is totally controlled by the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC). T&TEC purchases electricity from independent power generators and then sells it to consumers at commercial or residential rates. It is illegal to access the electricity grid without obtaining necessary permissions from T&TEC,

The Caribbean is universally known for its warm weather, beautiful beaches, rain-forested hills, amazing mix of culture and of course, carnival. Trinidad and Tobago is true to the definition of what the Caribbean represents. Trinidad is the bigger and busier of the twin island republic with its economy heavily dependent on the oil and gas industry. Trinidad is where the true culture of the islands exist with a variety of different races and religions all coexisting in harmony. It is also the home of the biggest carnival in the Caribbean known as “The Greatest Show on Earth”. Tobago on the other hand has the beautiful beaches, rainforest and tourist oriented culture, which is much different from the industrialized sister island, Trinidad. In this part of the world there are only two seasons, the dry season and the rainy season. The dry season starts in December and finishes in May, with the rainy season starting in June and ending in November. Since Trinidad and Tobago has a t

You are probably wondering how is it possible to have solar power both day and night if all we have in Trinidad and Tobago is approximately 12 hours of sunlight a day. Over the years talks of renewable energy went from murmurs to whispers to full conversations as declining oil, gas and coal reserves negatively impacts the world.  In T&T, with the abundance of sunshine available, solar power seems to be the most plausible type of renewable energy for the twin island. The most popular way to generate electricity from the sun is through the use of solar panels. Solar panels also known as photovoltaic (PV) panels, which are made of photovoltaic cells that use photons from sunlight to excite electrons, causing them to move, producing electricity.  Electricity is basically a flow of charge which is carried by free flowing electrons through a conductor such as copper. Solar panels, contrary to popular belief, does not operate on the heat coming from the sun. The hotter the temperat

It is so easy to have missed the sudden increase of electric vehicles and electric hybrids no w gracing the roads of Trinidad and Tobago. Trinidad and Tobago is the most industrialized and urb anized of the Caribbean islands and has the highest motorization (per capita). T&T's air pollution is caused mostly by vehicles, power plants and energy based industries. One would say it makes sense to support the introduction of electric vehicles and hybrids as a way to significantly reduce global warming, right? Sorry to burst your bubble. In 2010, the transportation industry accounted for 14% of total greenhouse gas emissions in the world with the electricity and heat industry the largest contributor with 25% in that year. Electric vehicles (EVs) are not as environmentally friendly as one might think compared to the typical passenger vehicles operating on petrol or diesel. Lithium mine in Australia In order to fully understand how EVs can be dangerous to the environment in ou

If the Government of Trinidad and Tobago (GOTT) is to be taken seriously about its commitments to achieving 10% renewable energy production by 2021 then we must all get behind them and make sure it is not just “empty words”. Trinidad and Tobago’s electricity consumption in the year 2014 was approximately 866 MWh. In 2016, the largest electricity consumer, Arcelor Mittal, closed its factory which greatly reduced the amount of electricity the power generation companies needed to supply. Due to this the electricity to be produced by renewables to make up the 10% of the nation’s power has also significantly decreased making it easier to achieve. There are many various technologies available that are relevant to Trinidad and Tobago such as wind, solar and biomass that can generate power but the GOTT has chosen to explore the potential of a ‘waste to energy’ power plant. There has been a serious problem in the way we dispose of our waste in Trinidad and Tobago. The landfills at Fo