ALTech ENERGY

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...

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...