Archive for October 15th, 2010
Wind farm dropped for radar
(CNS): Proposals for a possible wind farm in East End have been stopped in its tracks as a result of the government’s plans to erect a Doppler radar in the same area. Hopes of opening up Cayman’s first an alternative energy source with a 200ft wind tower in the High Rock area have been dashed in favour of the radar project which government says will fill an important weather tracking black hole. The government said in a statement on Thursday evening that despite the need to find alternative energy sources the Ministry of Works said it was supporting the radar as a priority and could risk losing the funding if it didn’t
CNS understands that the wind turbine idea had gained traction with CUC which was examining the possibility of generating power through this natural resource and had been conducting a feasibility study to measure the consistency of the wind in the area. Some sixteen acres of land was also set to be leased in order to construct the turbine. However, the ministry says that the radar and the wind farm cannot share the same space and the radar gets priority.
“This site was identified by a team of experts from the Caribbean Meteorological Organisation as the most suitable for the optimal functioning of the radar. They looked at accessibility, power supply in the area, elevation and the fact that the site was inland, protected from sea spray,” the ministry said. “Proposals have been received to establish a wind farm in the same area, however national and regional safety concerns make the choice for the Doppler equipment site inevitable.”
The ministry said the as Cayman is considered to be at higher risk of hurricanes than any other island in the region there is a serious need for local radar, which was demonstrated by such storms as Gilbert (1988), Mitch (1998), Ivan (2004) and Paloma (2008) all of which took the country by surprise due to the lack of localised weather information.
“The Doppler radar will give our National Weather Service more accurate, timely and real-time information,” the ministry stated , adding that it will serve the entire Caribbean, filling a gap in the recently implemented regional radar network coverage.
The ministry denied that by supporting the Doppler radar project unreservedly that it was therefore against alternative energy but that this was a vital project that had been in the works for almost a decade and had taken a long time to find funding. “Securing the necessary funding from the European Union took years of advocating….. If this opportunity is not utilised at this time, then there is every chance that the necessary funding will be withdrawn,” officials said.