The state-owned Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) is proceeding with the implementation of a 65 MegaWatt waste-to-energy project at the Riverton landfill site in capital Kingston.

The project involves the design and construction of two power-generating facilities on the site; one 45 MW facility that is projected to generate 358 GigaWatt-hours (GWh) of electricity a year from municipal solid waste that is disposed at the landfill and the other, a 20 MW facility, expected to produce 141 GWh.

Jamaica’s total electricity production in 2008 was over 4,000 GWh produced from an installed capacity of over 800 MW.

The Riverton landfill site collects approximately 60% of Jamaica’s total solid waste.
Detailed testing of the landfill composition, to determine the specific energy output of the facilities is still to be conducted, along with negotiations in relation to a power purchase agreement and other financial matters.

The development accords with the aims of the Jamaica government’s national energy policy, which seeks to boost the contribution of renewables from the current level of 6 percent of electricity production to 15 percent by 2015.  Successful implementation of the project will also reduce adverse health and environmental effects associated with the landfill’s operation.

Sources: Cipore.org, Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica

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