Member of Parliament for Roseau Central, Norris Prevost, is calling on the government to analyze and compare the benefits and risks of the present Geothermal energy production program to hydroelectricity production which he said has the potential to bring sustainable benefits and new life to Dominica’s economy.
In a motion presented to the House of Parliament, Prevost said he believes that hydro electricity production may have much greater benefits for Dominicans.
The motion reads in part: “Be it resolved, that this Hon. House calls on Government to develop and present to Parliament a comprehensive Alternative Energy Plan and which plan also analyses and compares the benefits and risks of the present Geothermal energy production program, with the enormous sustainable benefits and new life that hydro production can bring to the entire economy of Dominica, including the additional benefits in terms of food security and jobs for our people from expansion of our Agriculture and Ecotourism, and from the investments in restoration of our forests, water catchments and water sectors.”
Prevost said that while published reports indicate that 28 percent of Dominica’s electricity needs are being generated by hydro, the island has the capacity and resources to meet all of its electricity needs from the source. “Moreover, at today’s high fuel prices and the massive capital investment required for geothermal, hydro expansion presents an economical, competitively and cheap source of energy for Dominica,” he argued. “In my opinion therefore, from an overall sustainable development and value for money approach, expansion of hydroelectricity seems to be the best way for Dominica’s future development.”
He said additionally that a well thought-out hydroelectricity plan will not only provide electricity but jobs and will serve as a foundation for restoring Dominica’s forests and National Parks, rivers, soils, agriculture and Ecotourism.
He added, “Modern technological advances in Mini hydro plants now makes it very cost effective to set up and operate mini hydro generating plants in various locations, and that unlike the generation of Geothermal energy which has serious negative risks for the local communities, the generation of Hydroelectricity has no negative risk for the local communities.”
In the motion Prevost also called on the government to “come clean” on its geothermal project. “We are living in a democratic Country. The people have a right to know, and government must respect their rights,” he said.
Land of river for hyrdro electricity – or -Land of diesel generators for electricity? Dumbinica or Dominica
Please! do your research people geothermal will even help decrease the volcanic activity in Dominica so we will not end up like Monstrat. It will help with global warming because of all the diesel we are using. If we’re promoting Dominica as a nature island why not
just something to think about.
keep it that way and stop using thermal-generation.Put politics aside for once. The amount of electricity we can sell to our neighbouring islands that will help with building a better Hospital, schools, fisheries industry even help with the farmers and giving our youths that cannot find a job right now.
Please! do your research people geothermal will even help decrease the volcanic activity in Dominica so we will not end up like Monstrat. It will help with global warming because of all the diesel we are using. If we’re promoting Dominica as a nature island why not
just something to think about. Oh! and Solar also 
keep it that way and stop using thermal-generation.Put politics aside for once. The amount of electricity we can sell to our neighbouring islands that will help with building a better Hospital, schools, fisheries industry even help with the farmers and giving our youths that cannot find a job right now.
This is a very interesting subject,Which is something I have just started researching and hopefully one day i create a plan and come back to Dominica and work on a Power plant.I have worked in Several power plants in the states and one thing i know is the water from the steamers are toxic.Now where is that toxic water going on a small island like Dominica only God knows,but to my understanding we rely on the natural produce of the land to survive on the island because of the cost of food prices,which is also healthier for our environment and our economy.which i believe Geo would be harmful to the environment and wildlife.However by the way to anyone reading this im not into politics by any means just sharing my best interest based on what i have encountered in the electrical industry .Dominica has vast water supply and i think having mini Hydro plants over the island would be a great idea and having wind and solar as a back up in that way we get to rely on the natural supply to produce electricity and would also generate more jobs and suppy more energy and by doing that we can also supply power to neighboring islands at little to no cost too generate. Thats just my thoughts on the issue
Dominica can easily solve its electricity needs with
vegetable oil generation plants. There is enough coconut, castor, and other oils produced in Dominica to power such generators, nearly polution free. Also the oil production for such generators would create jobs for the local people.
well the good thing about DA we can have both hydro and geo.see we have so many choices even wind and solar. Praise God.
Here is my summary I wrote after I discussed the advantage, and disadvantage between geothermal, energy, and the production of hydroelectricity, when people do not know they believe all sorts of rubbish, as I said knowledge is power; innuendoes matters not, and cost nothing!
It is cheaper to produce hydroelectricity, and it is cleaner, and toxic free!
1. In order to generate geothermal energy,
requires the installation of power plants to
get steam from deep within the earth, and this
require a huge one time investment, and
require to hire a certified installer, and
skilled staff needs to be recruited, and in
almost every cases relocated to the plant
location, electricity towers, stations need to
set up to move power from the geothermal plant
to the consumer.
2. Some people are not going to like this,
nonetheless one need to be aware that
geothermal sites can run out of steam over a
period time all due to drop in
temperature, or if too much water is injected
to cool the rocks, and this may result
huge loss for the people, or companies which
have invested their money into these
plants. For this reason it is essential that
the companies, people and governments
involved do some extensive initial research
prior to building these plants.
3. It is imperative to understand that
Geothermal sites usually contain some
poisonous gases which can escape deep within
the earth, through the holes drilled by the
constructors of the plant, therefore the
plant must be constructed with safeguards
capable of containing these harmful, and
toxic gases.
4. Because this type of energy is not commonly
used therefore the unavailability of
equipment, staff, infrastructure, training
pose some hindrance to the installation, and
development of geothermal plants across the
globe, there seem not to be enough
skilled manpower, and availability of
suitable locations to build poses serious
problem in adopting geothermal energy
globally.
5. Geothermal Energy cannot be transported
easily, once the tapped energy is
extracted, I believe it can only be used in
the surrounding areas: Sources of energy
such as wood, coal, and oil can be
transported to residential areas easily,
however,this is not the case with geothermal
energy, but then again Francisco Telemaque is
an idiot, from Wesley who ( doh) know much,
so, I might be behind the times.
Nevertheless, the fear reality is that toxic
substances can be released into the atmosphere.
Finally, here is something to calm the anxiety from reading all of the above. There are some who believe that energy created from geothermal power is safe,clean simple, reliable, and environmentally friendly as it is extracted from the belly within the earths surface. However, despite these advantages geothermal energy is not being used widely; geothermal suffers from its disadvantages as I stated in my summary above!
And above is all seientific!
Note: I am not suggesting that we should not pursue the use of geothermal energy in our country, however, I believe we should not ignore the fact that or best potential in providing electricity in Dominica is by utilizing our rivers and runoff of rain water from our mountains, again that is our niche, a gift from God!
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
Prevost has/had very good friends at DOMLEC and he knows very well that our Hydo capability is not the same as say would it be in Guyana. They have huge huge flowing river.
So to come and say this gabbage at the 11th hour seems to me like someone is looking for attention.
Attention seekers work with facts Mr Prevost.
“Prevost has/had very good friends at DOMLEC and he knows very well that our Hydo capability is not the same as say would it be in Guyana. They have huge huge flowing river.”
You know such sentiments are the worst bit of nonsense wrote in the nineteenth, and twenty-first century.
I wish I could submit two pieces I wrote on the subject last night and today, Norris is actually a recipient of what I wrote, sorry I am unable to submit the contents here.
I would not waste my time doing that since I noticed most intellectual, and scientific comments I write and submit here never get posted, however maybe if Norris could get DNO to follow up with the scientific information I wrote, it might help to shatter your silly opinions.
The same time when the colonial Development Corporation (CDC) came to the Caribbean, and went to Guyana, they came to Dominica for the same purpose, and that was to generate hydroelectricity, we have the same potential as Guyana, you are concentrating only on the size of the rivers in Guyana, but that’s not the only criterion.
Knowledge is power you see, and since I am an Electrical/Electronic Engineer by profession, perhaps I know what I am talking about, I do not know about you!
the things that are important in our country are ignored while most of our time is spent trivial issues and nonsense as you have written.
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
Why no talk about solar power?
http://precisiontechelectricnj.com/services/solar/
please.. drought and dry season?? dominica is a tropical island, the shere volume of water dams hold cannot be run dry from a month without rain, which is nearly impossible in the commonwealth of Dominica.. allu doing as if it going to not rain for so long, the damn going to empty like a cup of water, new technologies and resources, if you took the time to read and would open your brain to think otherwise… and common sense too.( how much drought you expect Dominica to have and our lakes not run dry yet????)
According to what you posted why is Domlec always complaining about water levels during the summer months. Is it all a trick? Please enlighten us
Mr. Prevost, geothermal energy is more reliable than hydroelectricity. The water levels fluctuate. What happens when there is a prolonged dry season? Well, it means greater reliance on diesel fuel, which is not good for the environment and for consumers because of the high prices of fossil fuels and the associated vexed fuel surcharge. Did you take that fact into your reckoning?
With advances in technology and reinjection wells,geothermal energy is green and cheaper than fossil-fueled energy. Dominica has a comparative advantage in geothermal resource. If we specialise in the production of those things in which we have a comparative advantage and are competitive, Dominica will make economic progress.
You speak of the high investemnt costs of geothermal, what makes you believe that harnessing water for energy is much cheaper? Because Dominica will be selling geothermal energy to its high-income French neighbours, the investment costs can be more quickly recouped than the costs for hydroelectricity since that form of energy will only be for the small domestic market. The maximum consumption of electricity in Dominica is 15-17 MW. In Guadeloupe and Martinique, the total consumption in both islands is in excess of 3200 Gigawatts!
So, I am not convinced by your argument. I do not think it is well thought out.
I was just thinking so myself about not having enough water for geothermal Enery. Did we not have a hydro plant which caonnot sustain the electricity?
I don’t understand why should people just talk just for talking sake without making the necessary investigations.
And what is more hurtful, those who do not know better will start to believe and then umph here comes Politics.
Grown persons must act grown.
geothermal energy is water???
No form of energy is truly green we just need to manage them carefully. We have allot of geothermal energy but in Dominica we love to fight over everything. We want an international airport but not willing to put the infrastructure in place first. We deFinitely cannot afford to run an international airport on diesel. Hydro electric generation like you said is very dependent on weather patterns and looking at the trend of Dominican rivers now how sustainable is it. If I am not mistaken before the geothermal process stated they were the champions of it but as usual with politics not just Dominica but world wide if you don’t do it and the other party does it’s wrong and until that changes we are in trouble
I’m a lay person. Do explain to me what is the different between MW and Gigawatts
The funny thing is even with hydro electricity thrill be complaints. The environmentalist will start about the destruction out the rivers and the wildlife who calls these rivers home. We just need to minimize the risk for what ever form of energy we choose but there will always be risks and complaints.
And Mr. Prevost when summer time comes and Dominica is experiencing some severe drought we go right back to square one diesel generation.
Remember so many time we do not have enough water flow to run the turbines at trafalger and Padu as such we have high fuel surchage?
way to go prevost your voice in the wilderness
Is he MAD.
whooooooooooooooooooooy. i can’t believe it. I distinctly remember that years ago when mamo did the hydro plant these people talked and talked and sang calypso on how she block up the Trafalgar falls now they backing up hydro. way to go prevost. true politician flip-flopping at their own whims and fancy. and true Dominicans backing up these wicked people.
Need any further proof that the opposition UWP is no longer a “ghost contributor” to the ongoing opposition to govt’s publicized plan to exploit the geothermal resource energy in Dominica? Mr. prevost I am sure has his party’s support intoto for the said resolution.
It would be nice to research what the party’s UWP position was before the general elections. But then again there was no manifesto to prove otherwise. That important development tool was left “online.com” so the ordinary thinking Dominicans would have no access to it. Interestingly the UWP’s media mogul par excellence is on the record chastising Dominicans for not understanding how the communications technology works as so often information that is not meant for him keep coming to him all the time. Perhaps we should go back to previous elections (2000, 1995 and 1990) to see what they (UWP wrote about geothermal energy. But then I remember OTEC. The UWP proposed it and then years later turned around and criticized their spokesman who tabled the proposal on their behalf. I am off to do some research.
Before the intervention of geothermal enegy, why Mr. Prevost did’nt lay the cards on the table and discussed hydroelectricity, ofcourse,that would be a good way to go. At that time he and his members were too busy having People’s Parliament all over the island.
Now so much funds have been pumped into that geothermal plant, what is he expecting the government to do now?
B.E.B You are eating your tongue now. Good point made by the esteemed Norris Prevost.
You this so called BEB, you are like an animal I know which likes to chase after its tail, and so I must tell you a computer cannot educate a person. I extended condolences to the surviving family of the late Philsbert Wallace.
Because I said in my remarks, I knew the man all of his life, you had some crap to say about what I wrote:
Be informed I know that family very well, let me tell you how well: His wife Sarah Skerrit Wallace, grandmother was born ” Telemaque” if you know Arnold Telemaque, the now retired Fire Chief in Wesley, Sarah’s grandmother is Arnold father aunt! She is also the grandmother of my cousins Emlord Timothy, and others.
So where does that place me, figure that out! Secondly, I am related to the late Philsbert Wallace also, if you notice in the obituary they mentioned Viola Joseph, a relative of his; she is my biological aunt, sister to my late father; that is not even the connection between him and I. I do not get into people’s business, and I surely do not appreciate your interfering in mine!
If I said I know the man all of his life, that is what I wanted to say, wether I am ninety-six (96) years old or a hundred-ten (110) years old that is my business, and certainly none of yours.
I do not know you, and I do not care who the heck you are! Pick the mote out of your eyes before you attempt to pluck the mote out of my eye, because I know you cannot see!
How do I know you may not have graduated kindergarten, or elementary school?
Because of what you wrote in the following quote:
“Before the intervention of geothermal enegy, why Mr. Prevost did’nt lay the cards on the table and discussed hydroelectricity.”
You wrote that!
Review your posted comments to which I am responding; in the first place this is the way “energy” is spelt, and not “enegy” as you spelt it twice in your silly remarks, that tells me you are not scholastically educated, so how can you compete with someone who is academically educated. You also tried to abbreviate ” did not.” you are smarter than I; however the way I would abbreviate that would be the correct way like this: “didn’t.”
Your biggest blonder which has exposed you as one who is not very intelligent is this:
“Before the invention of geothermal enegy,” and again here is how you spelt energy “enegy.” once I can accept as an error, second and third time is not a mistake!
Finally explain to me, and the rest of the world how does one go about inventing geothermal energy?
Before you try, and make a bigger fool of yourself, please note: one discovered geothermal energy which was put into the ground by God, and it is as a result of the presence of volcano’s, and volcanic activity!
Say I told you people cannot invent what existed all due to the work of God, and existing in the belly of the earth!
In that case perhaps you believe Christopher Columbus invented Dominica, rather than discovering the country.
So you see; when we attempt to devalue others, and try to pretend we are over smart it usually comes back to bite us.
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
Mr. Prevost has a valisd point. As we speak two big dams are being constructed to suppy a new water mains along the west coast road. What would have been simpler than incorporate hydro generators at these dams at relatively low cost? It does not affect the quality- or flow of the water and is pollution free. Maybe there are sound reasons for not doing this, maybe it is more profitable for Govt. for the Jimmit company to keep supplying Domlec with diesel fuel? I hope someone in authority can answer these questions.
But off course Malatete and then you will have another problem – water supplies to homes. Are you hearing yourself? Dams for hydroelectriciy with no concern about drought and dry seasons.
The turbines would be installed in the same dams that store the water for supply to consumers but, before entering the supply pipes that same water passes through a turbine first. No water is lost. Even if electricity cannot be generated on a permanent basis it would certainly contribute towards reducing our use of fossil fuel and pollution.
I agree. There are many unkowns with geothermal. It is possible that tapping this source could damage or our geothermal hot pools, damaging a several tourist attractions. In other places people have needed to be relocated, large skink holes have developed as material is removed from the substrate. The drilling produces noxious waste water. Dominica has limited ways of dealing with the ecological effects. And there is costly transmissions infrastructure that needs to be developed. Before we proceed every avenue must be carefully investigated. Dominica has something that in the modern world is priceless. Clean air. Clean water. Pristine views. Healthful environment. If we lose these things our people suffer and our main touristic advantage is destroyed. Lets think carefully before we act.