Sunday, March 18, 2012

BELIZE GOVERNMENT IN DEFAULT OF JAPANESE ECONOMIC AID ASSISTANCE IT IS ARGUED?

Japanese financed and installed solar research project at the University of Belize,in the tiny capital of Belize.


JAPANESE SOLAR PROJECT GONE AWRY SOME SAY IN BELIZE?


Apparently the Government of Belize was to pass laws, to enable, or force BEL the monopoly government electricity producer, as part of the requirement for the Japanese big solar project at the University of Belize in the capital Belmopan. The government never did their part, by enabling NET METERING for small home producers of electricity. At least so far. The Japanese did install the solar project, but homeowners have not benefited from being able to produce electricity and sell it back to BEL.
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contributed comment:

Ray, I don't think the Japanese gift of the solar project to UB/Belize and the legislation required would need to apply to homeowners or other private parties.

Legislation to allow UB to sell power to BEL should not be a problem since Gov. now owns BEL and the Japanese gifted system. Unless BECOL (the company that owns the hydro dams) would have some legal claim because I think the hydro dams are contracted to get first dibs on providing power to BEL. Or maybe the deal on power price from CFE Mexico is they get second dibs or Belize pays a higher price. Then you have BELCOGEN (the bagasse project) that might come into play with legal right to sell.

So, legislation could be more complicated than my first thoughts based on who owns what, but I don't see where homeowners or other private entities with alternative independent power system would come into play for two reasons. First of all, most homeowners and businesses who have independent power systems usually do so because the grid doesn't reach them and it costs to much or is logistically impractical to bring the grid to them. No grid access = no delivery system for sell back. The second reason is (imo) an independent system in Belize costs too much for anyone to want to install extra panels and equipment to sell power to BEL at a price less than or equal to what BEL pays BECOL or CFE for power. I can't see BEL paying independent providers more per kWh than they charge their customers.

Is the photo you posted in your email a photo of the UB solar project site?

Lynn

(No! Just an off the GOOGLE thingy photo as an example.)

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