UB wants to sell electricity after $20 Million project is implemented
Selwyn King
The Ministry of Finance signed a memorandum of understanding in March of this year with the University of Belize for a clean solar energy project. It was predicted that the construction of the infrastructure would get underway and the university is proud to announce that they are keeping that schedule. Work commenced earlier this week to build the twenty million dollars clean solar energy facility at UB’s Belmopan campus. The director of UB’s Office of Public Information, Selwyn King, told News Five via phone today that the project is expected to be ready for operation within a year.
Via Phone: Selwyn King, Director, Office of Public Information, UB
“Basically, what we are doing is utilizing roughly about two point four acres of land for the operations of this cutting-edge technology using the photovoltaic panels. Infrastructure work as commenced utilizing heavy equipment from the Ministry of works; we are clearing the land for the construction of the twenty million dollars clean solar energy project here at UB central campus in Belmopan. This project is being funded by the Government of Japan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and what it is designed to do is to really introduce clean energy to Belize by solar electricity generation, using the panels, which are referred to as the PV system. In our discussions with JICA and the government officials, the power generated by the PV system will then be sold to B.E.L. and the gross proceeds from these sales then will be transferred by way of a grant to the university. I should also mention that government will transfer the ownership and management of the system to UB free of cost system after a period of ten years because the system will be housed here on our campus. The national University, in this regard, is definitely poised to become a leader in clean solar energy as well as our students from the natural resource management program, will benefit because they will definitely be exposed to the technology; how it is operated and how it is managed.”
The equipment being used for the project will be maintained by the Ministry of Works and UB, with the assistance of B.E.L.
Interesting!
Will BEL buy the electricity cause there are a few houses in Blue Creek, Orange walk Dist. that have solar and BEL has told them that they can not put their excess electricity back into the line to bring down the bill and also help BEL that they buy less electricity from Mexico. It is not much now but if BEL would allow that then more people would be interested in that.
good move and good luck. just keep the politicians out of ur ‘pockets’ and i believe u will be successful.
WHAT ELSE ARE THEY GONNA SELL
they need to produce some eledtrical engineers first!!! then we can talk.
They need to invest in agriculture projects so that the country need not to import goods from foreign countries and the belizeans can export their products to other countries.
The ENERGY MAY BE CLEANER………..BUT IS IT CHEAPER???????????
SUNLIGHT IS FREE!!!!!!