COMMENTARY: Clarifying my position on geothermal development

People have been calling saying that I have been referred to as “the culprit stirring discontent against geothermal in the Roseau Valley”. Since this is a gross misrepresentation of my position, I would like to again state my long held position on geothermal development in Dominica.

Most Dominicans know that I have been in the vanguard of those who support geothermal development. However geothermal development cannot be done in the absence of the people living in the area or an independent Environment Impact Assessment (EIA). The lack of inclusion and transparency to date has resulted in the present anxieties. For instance, some of the negative information circulating is the result of indifferent developers elsewhere not working in the best interest of residents and cutting corners on the best practices on health and the environment.

Compared to fossil fuel, geothermal extraction releases far fewer greenhouse gases (about 1/6 less) per unit of electricity generated. Binary plants, which are closed cycle operations, release minimal emissions. Like hydro and unlike wind or solar, geothermal has 90+% availability, with down time assigned to maintenance. Geothermal power is homegrown, thus reducing our dependence on foreign oil and saving our country millions.

As we continue to suffer from sea level rise, coral bleaching, and more ferocious hurricanes triggered by global warming, we in Dominica must be leading world advocates for the reduction of greenhouse gases and a green alternative to development. Also, if the EIA recommends the development can proceed, then the development would be consistent to the “nature island” image and lead Dominica to be the first country in the world operating on only renewable energy and, with our forest, making us a net greenhouse gases sink thus attracting further interest from others to visit our shores and support our mission.

Because Dominica has huge potential of geothermal energy, and with the neigbouring French islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe huge demand for inexpensive clean energy, Dominica has a great opportunity to supply these islands with clean energy while significantly lowering the price of electricity in Dominica. Dominica’s base load is currently about 10MW (megawatts) while the peak load is about 15MW. Martinique and Guadeloupe need in excess of 400MW each. While Guadeloupe geothermal fields supply 16MW of geothermal power from its plants in Bouillante, Guadeloupe geothermal resources which are not as big as ours, just cannot meet the island’s electricity requirements. Since Dominica can supply part of that demand, our country has a huge opportunity to use geothermal energy to propel our development.

Further I strongly support full benefits for the valley residents and the people of Dominica just like the Bedouins in Saudi Arabia and the gulf states went from camels and sand in their noses, to being some of the most affluent people on the planet; just as Venezuela and others are basking in the national development of their energy resources, so too can Dominica. From early times we opposed the UNEC geothermal application and later the misguided geothermal contract given to West Indies Power which, as we predicted, is now on the ash heap.

In summary:
· I am fully in support of the development of geothermal energy in Dominica as long as an independent Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) determines it is safe to do so and the development adheres to the findings and recommendations of the EIA.
· I strongly advocate valley representation selected by valley residents on any geothermal committee set up by law.
· I also strongly advocate that the geothermal commercial development and the transmission cables be owned by the government and people of Dominica thus guaranteeing maximum returns to the valley residents, people of Dominica, and the government of Dominica. The safe development of the resource would be better guaranteed since the people’s ownership would never do anything detrimental to affect their own health and environment as opposed to external ownership interest whose main focus would be to maximize return on investment.

How do we do that? We obtain a Power Purchase Agreement from France agreeing to purchase our electricity at a guaranteed price which we take to financing institutions. This is exactly what foreign interest would do.

If this position is detrimental to the interest of valley residents, Dominicans, and Dominica, then I am a “culprit” and stand accused and guilty as charged. I strongly advocate we quickly move forward on this sovereign ownership initiative which would make it possible for free education to the highest level, free universal health care for all at western world standards, more money to fund other development, and an annual dividend (l’argent séche) in Dominicans pockets.

That’s my position.

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41 Comments

  1. Dominican Offspring
    January 21, 2013

    Don’t Martinique & Guadeloupe already have this technology? Wouldn’t the cost of running lines under the sea exceed the promised profits of this down the line? All technology is not always appropriate for every country. Dominica has the most volcanoes per area than any other country in the world. You could literally be opening a bombshell if this report is not accurate. Do you really have that much faith in your current government?
    This administration has consistently shown that greed is its primary motive ripe with corruption and sprinkled with a total disregard for the long-term effects of its actions. Maybe you should benefit from leaning on the side of caution when it comes to this. There are so many other safer basic areas that should be the focus: proper means of incineration for your hospitals, better medical facilities, job creation, a return to a strong agricultural base (why are you importing so much food that you can grow?), the disposition of the corrupt judicial system which continues to cover up the theft and wrongdoings that your PM and his legal henchmen blatantly support and the total lack of respect for Dominicans that the PM displays by lining his pockets instead of insisting that the Chinese hire at least 20% Dominican blood…you need the jobs, not threats to the health and safety of the people and environment. Infrastructure first…baby steps.

  2. Roseau valley proper
    January 20, 2013

    Fellow dominicans, all this debate is good for any development in our Island, but let us be constructive instead of destructive.
    I am totally inagreement that dominicans should by all means own all our natural resources like our hydro and geothermal resource and thus earn rayalties from that asset. we should do all in our power to own our electricity generating plants again so as not to be held at ransome by any non national entity who has no other interest than exploiting our resources for profit. that said we have the asset let us derive full benifits from it and not just give it away.
    we who own property in the valley who are not comfortable so close to the project why not collectively approach Government with relocation and compensation ideas and lets just let the project advance for Dominica’s benefit.
    I understood the oil refinary objections although it was by a few individuals who benifitted I guess from interest groups while driving big SUVs run by imported gasoline but geothermal??? do we really want development if we look for a reason to object to everything insead of looking for a way to make things work to our mutual benefit?????

  3. Ton
    January 19, 2013

    Well summarized Washway. One of the key issues is communication. As a chemical engineer who work in the renewable energy industry globally and who has commissioned Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for projects I believe that the EIA for this project has to be a public document. It must be made available to all stakeholders. For example our company has to post the EIA to a website for a project we were working on. People who were interested and potentially impacted by the project could be aware of all the potential risk. This is important to the people in the Roseau valley but also to Dominicans as a whole. Additionally given the importance of this project It is my belief that the Govt should have and can still embark on an educational campaign to educate the citizenry about this source of energy (call it Introduction to Geothermal). In my estimation the project suffers from lack of transparency, visionary leadership, effective communication and effective crisis management.

  4. January 19, 2013

    You dont know how to please Dominicans because when we had the petro caribe project, they say too much poisonous gas, now the geothermal plant is something else.

  5. Jonathan St.Jean
    January 19, 2013

    I know that. Dominica needs development and this has to be done in a responsible way at all times. Because geothermal energy development is so important we should procede with a thorough environment impact assessment and when one is completed the results must be shared with the public at large, especially those residents who will be directly affected by that or any other project.
    This is not the first time that we are going down this road.Remember that during the UWP government it was seeking the development of the copper resource potential of Dominica and the project was halted because of the threats to the eco system.This would have brought development to the country too.So please stop the negative comments and do the right thing as suggested by Mr Douglas and others.

  6. tumble, back kick
    January 19, 2013

    I guess most of us have cable so we know that Nigeria has been a major oil producer, millions of barrels every day. So the silly question, Why haven’t their lives improved that much? Why are there so many Nigerian all over the world, involved in numerous scams and competing with locals for jobs? Because the small percentage that reach the government, after the multinationals take the lion share of revenues, does not trickle down to the people. Plainly put, CORRUPTION MY BROTHER. The last time I checked we Dominicans we are not so different from the Nigerians

  7. dafriend
    January 19, 2013

    I am a 100% in agreement. If this project is handled properly it will benefit Dominica greatly.

  8. January 19, 2013

    I did not follow up or did enough research to comment on this subject, but i know washwoa well enough, and i trust his judgement and evaluation, so am with you mr. Douglas.

  9. beholder
    January 18, 2013

    I read the Guadalupe assessment. They figure Dominica has the potential to deliver 100MW of power. Most of it for export because this islands demands are nowhere near that. Ask the powers that be what a plant of that size looks like. How much steam it emits? What is the noise level? What happens to the effluent that is emitted in the process? Is it pumped back into the ground? I have been told that the natural sulphur springs that are an important and unique feature for tourist could be compromised. If you listen to the complaints from the residents in Puna, Hawaii many of them had to be relocated due to health hazards. If our government and our people own the project, who on this island has the expertise to run such a facility? There is a lot more to know and the people should be asking these questions. This is a small island and a major portion of our population lives within five miles of the site.

  10. domny sorhaindo
    January 18, 2013

    Dont let money and lots of job full u and rush in to it we need to do extensive thinking and planning to do it right good look

  11. JAM
    January 18, 2013

    “…We obtain a Power Purchase Agreement from France agreeing to purchase our electricity at a guaranteed price which we take to financing institutions…” If I am allowed to give credit, but who do you suggest will provide an IEIA that will satisfy the needs of all the stakeholders?

  12. Neutral
    January 18, 2013

    The residents of Alaska get money from the oil companies. Why can’t Dominicans not receive those benefits also.

  13. IPO
    January 18, 2013

    I am like a blade, I cut both ways. I wanted the Geothermal project for myself and Gabu.

    Now that the Geothermal is about to go full production, I want to make sure it is IEA compliant and the people are protected…let me up the program

    I couldn’t get it so let me try a little something to derail it

    • January 19, 2013

      And I shall also add that because the bouzouki from home could not pay the undertable deals our government prefer collect the undertable deals and ignore home base ownership.

    • ________________
      January 19, 2013

      @ IPO You are like a beggar, a puppet,a corrupt soul,a lazy sluggard,a crumb picker, so you want part of the corrupt money from corrupt leaders irrespective of where it comes, that’s not none of your da- business.Or like one of you leaders would say it would be better for you to go in a toilet with your hads between your legs and hide, than to attack this commentary.
      Good commentary Mr Douglas. I was long awaiting to hear from you.

    • commentator
      January 20, 2013

      This is a very narrow minded response. I know Douglas from our DGS days and he is a man with integrity. He is not tasting “sour grapes” as you so woefully suggest. Just to come on here and clarify his position is commendable but I guess some of you do not understand honesty.

      • IPO
        January 20, 2013

        And even if you know him. I know Lennox and he is not who you goons believe he is…and so

  14. tropicana
    January 18, 2013

    Here is the most important part of what he’s saying:
    However geothermal development cannot be done in the absence of the people living in the area or an independent Environment Impact Assessment (EIA). The lack of inclusion and transparency to date has resulted in the present anxieties. For instance, some of the negative information circulating is the result of indifferent developers elsewhere not working in the best interest of residents and cutting corners on the best practices on health and the environment.
    Can we really ‘maintain’ the facility so that the hazardous risks are negated? I don’t think so.

  15. anon
    January 18, 2013

    did he mention about setting off downhole explosives….no don’t take us for fools man! ur not the only educated one washway!

  16. anon
    January 18, 2013

    why he never mention the process of hydro frackin to extract the down hole gases? the chemicals that are used to to that are dangerous. once injected in the ground, it gets in the undergroud water wells washway and recycles in our streams which we can drink water from. the marine life will be destroyed. a river full of toxic chemicals. I work in oil and gas in usa. I’am a field service tech. I know what happens washway. u only seeing dollars but we need our marine life. why not do wind and solar energy? don’t try to kill my valley and your portsmouth safe. just like you I went to school and I’am also a petroleum engineer. don’t fu22k up my village man.

    • Ras Mo Moses
      January 19, 2013

      Let’s be factually clear, frackin isn’t done to explore geothermal energy. You are misinformed please don’t spread such misinformation.

  17. BIG CITY GUY
    January 18, 2013

    its a good i idea but u know dominicans r like the people in columbus day who thought the earth was flat and afraid of new things. Any educated person would ses that this is a good idea for one we dont have control over domlec lets look to other means…. good job.

  18. Observer
    January 18, 2013

    A few questions for Washoway. I hope you find time to answer. So how did your name come to be mixed up in the controversy? Was the PM spreading mischief when he named you and others? Were you ever involved in clandestine meetings in the Roseau Valley? Are you aware that a significant amount of the funding for the project came from the EU. In your quest for transparency such as publicizing the findings of an independent EIA, are you aware that the EU will never fund any such project without such a management tool – an EIA? Further are you aware that if the EIA said the project was not safe the EU would never approve the request for funding? Since the project has progressed so far isn’t that some indication that the EU is satisfied that the project will not negatively affect the environment? Are you suggesting by innuendo that PM Skerrit and his government can exercise any influence on the mighty EU system of checks and balances to fund such a project when it is clear that the project is not safe?

    Are you aware too that your friend Athie is also implicated in the negative propaganda? Do you know his position on the present controversy? After all it has taken you all of two weeks to clarify your position, which I accept. But Dominica’s most erstwhile, all subject matter specialist, superiro macro development planner and conservationist par excellence has gone deafeningly silent against a background where he is implicated in a negative movement as being agaisnt geothermal development. Something he is onrecord as championing for forty or more years?Do you know what is his presentr position? For what is it is worth, your comment is better late than never. But your commentary will serve to push the project forward. By the way is your company ready and to contribute domr equity to the grand national company that will generate the electricity power.

    • Lang Dough
      January 18, 2013

      The EU is not GOD. It is a very bureaucratic organisation and have been known to make huge mistakes and costly oversights on mega dollar European projects, much-less for this something in a tiny black banana republic.

  19. valley woman
    January 18, 2013

    i also read that eartquakes, do occur, but most of them are below3.4 on the Ritcher Scale.That is to mean tnat they pass unnoticed.So my fellow Wotton waven people let us support.AND I WOULD LIKE OUR Parliamentary Rep to know that our request for an EIAhas nothing to do with politics, we want development for ourselves and our children, but we just want to know what we going into, is not anything that is of a health hazard .As far as i read, most places, where geothermal was established, there was a certain level of controversy between the government and people.So we are not in anyway different from the rest of the world

    • hmmgbrd
      January 19, 2013

      Correction – geothermal exploration and development MAY induce earthquakes. There have only been a few recorded cases and the one that stands out in particular was due to the use of an EGS(Enhanced Geothermal System) which involves pumping pressurized cold fluid the create cracks in the subsurface rock layers where the resource is not readily available. I doubt this is the case in Dominica as evidenced by the existence of many hot springs and the second largest boiling lake in the world (which by the way is a great example of how geothermal energy works, albeit by a natural entity).

  20. Hector Marie
    January 18, 2013

    How could any one disagree with Douglas here is beyond me this is common sense with the interest of the country in mind and not looking to score political points as is always the case in dominica

    • Toomatoe Tomato
      January 19, 2013

      But didn’t they do an EIA also? Then why he think the government would not do a proper one. I am confused. Or is he now telling us, maybe they didn’t or their own was flawed when he wanted that project so badly?

      So, I am wondering, should we thank God they did not get to develop it. Did he keep his findings a secret and now want to tell us, what he didn’t when he wanted to explore it? If all was good for him at that time, how suddenly there is so many problems? And what would he have done differently?

  21. valley woman
    January 18, 2013

    yes Adinau, i long awaited your comments. i can rest my fears on your summary. you see education is a hell of a thing, persons will always be afraid because they are not or were not appraised or thewhole thing properly.a few persons came to the school and sent down sonme things there ay into people’s throat and that was it.education is important my fellow countryman.Number1, the wrong set of persons are or were being targetted all the time, i myself is only coming to grips with the whole thing now. We can go that way now—yes we can, we have enough heat power, we do not have to dig too much and granted that we have maintainance on site, we good to go.i just know that this is a very expensive venture and all the low cost electricity we are talking about is my grand daughter that will realise that.i have read the pros and cons by different writers,we cannot run away from it , there are cons, but take it or leave it geothermal is the way to go

  22. Piper
    January 18, 2013

    Mr. Douglas, I was with you all the way until the last paragraph. There will be benefits to this project, but dont go promising people that diamonds will start falling from the sky if this project comes to fruition. Don’t oversell it.

  23. Met Yo
    January 18, 2013

    Is it just me or is it the first time i hearing bout mister name associated wif dat……..attention seekers stupes

    • Good-to-go
      January 18, 2013

      You are out of touch with this issue. Matt has something saying on his programme about “removing all doubt”. You need to listen and pay attention to this.

  24. Joe
    January 18, 2013

    A. Washway this is UTTER RUBBISH……… Can we fund the project??

    • Reader
      January 18, 2013

      The goverment should have use the $27 million for the palace towards something like that. Then they would have reaped the profits and use that to construct the palace among other things. I don’t know about you Joe, but I can’t eat concrete.

      • Anonymous
        January 18, 2013

        Dont worry reader,the concrete is the head corner stone one day it will make u eat.In time to come just think of crazy song in time to come we dominicans are short sighted not all but some,but there’s some that can see far thats y we are moving forward.

    • Better Government
      January 18, 2013

      Joe you are an idiot!!! The money is in the resource. The resource can fund itself.. Every country on earth with an energy resource, takes ownership of it, why would we do differently, because we are too stupid?

    • Cool Bear
      January 18, 2013

      @Joe

      Yes indeed Dominica can. Funding is not done by individuals but by financial institutions. Once you can indicate how you will be able to pay back, then you are good to go.

      The average civil servant works for $1700, yet they own $400,000 houses. They obtain this by facing the banks, not by holding their head and crying that they can’t afford it.

  25. Mystical
    January 18, 2013

    For once in my entire life I am in total agreement with Warshway.

    • Anonymous
      January 18, 2013

      Mystical, my stomach is aching, I feel like vomiting saying that but I agree with you. I never in my long time on this earth though I would ever agree with anything this Washway has to say.

  26. Marcus Hill
    January 18, 2013

    And a damn good position at that!!

    But Washwoa that is a Rosie Douglas visionary idea and you know full well that Mano, Skerrit, alick and the rest just interesting in their pocket!! So what are you going to do about that? Just stand there and say “Labour Power” or do something about it.

    • pingo
      January 18, 2013

      I glad for u Marcus Hill. You do not want to come and do the accounts too and shout Labour Power? all u want to stay in america and run Dominica. Not so

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