Amitabh Sharma
Features Coordinator

It is the colour of the times; from what we eat to how we live. ‘Green’ is the way of life being propagated worldwide. As non-renewable or fossil fuels fast deplete, focus is now shifting to develop alternative sources of energy.


WHAT IS ALTERNATIVE ENERGY?
We depend on oil to produce electricity, which is expensive, now there is a need to find cheaper means of generating electricity. This is where alternative energy comes in.

“Alternative energy is finding another way of creating electricity without using oil,” explains Dr. Paul Aiken, senior engineer and head, Electronic Unit and The Alternative Energy Research Group, Department of Physics, University of the West Indies.
Aiken says alternative sources of energy are in use in Jamaica and across the world.

“The top four are solar, wind, hydro and bio-gas,” he says.

He further adds that Jamaica has most renewable energy sources and the potential to harness that energy is immense.

“The rising fuel prices are increasing demand for setting up and maintaining alternative energy sources,” Aiken says.

CAREER OPTIONS
This shift to use alternative energy sources is also opening up career options, he informs.

Alternative energy generation varies from small scale, which is tailored for individual household needs or large scale, for a power plant. Opportunities exist in technical and non technical areas, informs Aiken.

“One could look into entrepreneurship opportunities,” says Aiken. "There is a demand for installation and maintenance of small scale alternative energy units (like solar cells)."

ELIGIBILITY
“A career in alternative energy generation is somewhat similar to working in a power company,” Aiken says.

The opportunities exist in technical and non technical fields in this area. For an incumbent, Aiken informs, the technical qualifications vary from that of electricians or technicians and engineers and scientists in conventional power generation.

“It would require thorough knowledge of the installation, operation, and maintenance of the alternative energy systems,” he says.

Additionally, one should have knowledge of system optimisation and other required knowledge in electrical generation and distribution.

“The basic requisites are CXC passes (or equivalent) in Mathematics, English and a combination of science subjects, including Physics,” he says. “Some amount of basic technician training would also be required.”

For engineering and advanced technical positions incumbents require a minimum a Bachelor of Science degree in physics or electrical engineering.

WHERE TO STUDY
The Department of Physics in the Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences at the University of the West Indies, Mona, offers an undergraduate major in Alternative Energy (AE).
Graduates of this programme have an option to pursue masters and research programmes in alternative energy.

Aiken says his department is in process of forming partnerships with Wigton Wind Farm Limited (WWFL) and the Centre for Excellence in Renewable Energy (CERE), which will further enhance its teaching and research capabilities.

OPPORTUNITIES
Under the Latin America and Caribbean Initiative for Sustainable Development Jamaica has made a commitment to raise the level of its use of renewable energy to 10% by 2010 and 15% by 2020.

This is likely to translate into expanding the facilities that produce alternative energy. The requirement for technical expertise to manage these plants would be on an upswing, Aiken feels.

Large scale industrial production of electricity via alternative means will require a much wider cross section of trained technical staff. This is somewhat similar to those at current power plants in Jamaica.

Aiken says university graduates of the Alternative Energy programme can find employment opportunities at WWFL, CERE, Jamaica Public Service company or private AE power suppliers. He discloses that in these plants, technical job opportunities exist for technicians, engineers, and scientists.

ENTREPRENEURIAL OPPORTUNITIES
Graduates can also take advantage of various entrepreneurship opportunities exist for the development of efficient Alternative Energy Power Plants.

“There are indirect entrepreneurial opportunities,” Aiken says. “There will be constant demand for supplies and material for these units and power generating plants.” One can set up distribution and whole sale centres to supply the hardware.

Aiken says his department is also looking into the application of hydrogen fuel cells (HFC) and nuclear cells as viable alternative energy sources for Jamaica. Another emerging technology, solar thermal technology, which is the use of heat from the sun to generate steam to turn a turbine, is being looked into.

Aiken is upbeat on the future of 'green' technology, and says that opportunities are being explored in developing solar cells manufacturing facilities in Jamaica. “This will create many more job opportunities and much wider cross sections of technicians, factory workers, engineers and scientists,” he says.

amitabh.sharma@gleanerjm.com