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their beneficial properties. This allows it to be used in existing
power generation machinery with feworno modifications. Country Domestic electricity
Preliminary research has verified the concept. This paper price ($/kWh)
firstly reports on the preliminary investigation into the Trinidad & Tobago 0.046
feasibility of the fuel blend for power generation in the Barbados 0.294
Caribbean. It then considers the requirements, potential Grenada 0.341
arrangement,economics and key success factors of the St. Lucia 0.243
proposed supply chain. Lastly, the paper reports on the Anguilla 0.328
current phase of the research, which is a joint industry-
academia collaborative project, spearheaded by the Antigua 0.390
University of the West Indies in collaboration with CARILEC Bahamas 0.298
and other industry partners. Cayman Islands 0.375
Dominica 0.365
REGIONAL CONTEXT AND FEASIBILITY CRITERIA Jamaica 0.266
St. Vincent & the Grenadines 0.325
An assessment of the Caribbean region’s energy Table 1: Regional domestic electricity prices for the year
arrangements has indicated that the region is heavily 2010 (CARILEC tariff data)
invested in the architecture and technology necessary for
crude oil based fuel sources, in particular diesel and fuel It can be surmised that one of the most significant
oil. The two main power generation technologies are gas factors affecting the feasibility of any new regional power
turbines andreciprocating engines, with the latter being the generation alternative, is its cost and the associated
more prevalent. Growing consumer demand is drivingthe economics. The ease of implementation and replication
regional countries to increasetheir installed generating are also very influential factors. In light of this, the proposed
capacities by 15 – 45% every 4-6 years (Murray and fuel blend is well positioned to be a suitable alternative.
Furlonge, 2009), and with the general payback period
associated with power plants of this nature being at
least 20 years, it is likely that many of the countries are CONCEPT VERIFICATION
yet to realize a return on their investments. Therefore, in In addition to economic considerations, a critical factor in
transitioning to new and alternative energy arrangements, determining the feasibility of a new or alternative energy
analternative that can utilize the existinginfrastructure in the arrangement is the efficiency of the energy conversion/
short to medium term is likely to be more viable. power generation process. This is expected as the entire
power generation chain is predicated upon it. With this
Table 1 shows the electricity prices in several Caribbean in mind a first phase of research was conducted, which
countries for the year 2010. With the notable exception of sought to verify the feasibility of the proposed fuel as a
Trinidad and Tobago, most of the countries in the region possible alternative for regional use. Accordingly, this
are faced with electricity prices of $0.30 per kWh and work consisted of both a technical and an economic
higher. These electricity prices are ranked amongst the assessment of the fuel blend.
highest in the world, and are an impediment to economic
development within the countries. Energy alternatives that Technical Assessment
are based on renewable energy technologies such as
wind turbines, solar power, ocean currents or geothermal The technical assessment primarily entailed the
power would require significant capital outlay, as these examination of the fuel blend’s performance in a
technologies are still relatively expensive. High capital diesel engine, via a series of engine tests. The tests
outlay is likely to lead to high electricity prices. Accordingly, were conducted using a single cylinder, four stroke,
compression-ignition reciprocating diesel engine test unit.
such technologies would only be feasible if the resulting
electricity prices are lower than the current regional The specifications for the engine are given in Table 2. The
averages. Some of these renewable technologies may not unit contained a coupled dynamometer from which the
even be possible for certain countries, depending on their engine load was varied and instrumentation for measuring
topography and geology. Withoutsignificant decreases air consumption, cooling water flow rate and temperatures
and dynamometer force. Additionally, exhaust temperature
in the costs of these technologies, they are likely to be
feasible only as part of a more long term strategy. was obtained by installing a thermocouple at the exhaust
of the engine. The engine speed was measured using a
tachometer.
To facilitate the tests, a second fuel tank was added to the
engine unit; with this arrangement, the engine could be
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