Anyone who thought it would be a breeze to generate cheap wind energy in Cayman may have to think again.
After a year-long comprehensive study, Cayman Utilities Company has concluded that it is not economically feasible for the company to pursue wind power as an alternative energy source.
CUC said on Friday it would not invest in further wind-power studies.
The company said, however, it would monitor developments of suitable energy-efficient alternative technologies.
CUC said the decision did not preclude individuals from using wind to generate electricity.
Individuals interested in such a move, however, should be aware of fairly high investment costs and the economics involved when calculating their money’s worth, the company advises.
For its study, CUC installed two 170-foot wind-monitoring towers in East End and North Side.
PanAero Corporation, a Colorado-based company specialising in cost-effective uses of wind power, analysed the resultant data and prepared financial estimates.
Wind speed during the 12-month period in both locations averaged 13 miles per hour at a height of about 170 feet above ground level, which, according to engineers, is at the low end of the viable scale.
After accounting for costs, including wind turbines, CUC concluded that, ‘the proposed wind-energy investment is uneconomical to the company and its customers at the present time’.
‘All engineers would like to be able to produce a product with lesser impact to the environment and from that respect it was a bit of a disappointment,’ said CUC engineering-services manager Sacha Tibbetts.
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