The Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ)

Description:

The Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) is the government entity mandated to manage the country’s energy needs in a manner that supports the overall strategy for national development. Established in 1979 the PCJ is a statutory Corporation under the Ministry of Energy.

The Corporation’s mission is to undertake the development and promotion of Jamaica’s energy resources in support of the National Energy Policy and Vision 2030, the National Development Plan. The PCJ is the parent company of Petrojam Limited, Petrojam Ethanol Limited (PEL), Wigton Windfarm Limited and the Jamaica Aircraft Refuelling Services (JARS).

The PCJ’s mandate includes driving the diversification of Jamaica’s energy supply and facilitating the infusion of renewable energy into the country’s energy mix. In fulfilment of this, the Corporation focuses on four main areas; promoting energy efficiency, increasing the use of renewable energy sources, facilitating the production of biofuels and driving Oil & Gas Exploration.

The Role of the PCJ

The Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) is a statutory body created in 1979 under the Petroleum Act. The Corporation is the Government Agency charged with the responsibility of managing the country’s energy needs.

Our primary focus is to reduce the country’s dependence on imported fuel while securing the affordable, sustainable energy supplies which are necessary to realize economic growth.

The Petroleum Act gives the PCJ the exclusive right to explore and develop the petroleum resources of the country with the exception of renewable resources. Our core functions include:

• The development and management of petroleum resources either alone or in association with third party contractors.

• Undertaking the exploration, development and management of petroleum resources.

• The acquisition, construction and operation of refining or processing facilities, marketing facilities, pipeline facilities, tankers, trucks and other facilities for the transportation of petroleum and petroleum products and facilities for storage or distribution of petroleum or petroleum products either alone or in association with contractors.
• Selling and otherwise dealing in petroleum and petroleum products either alone or in association with contractors.
• Leading communication on all energy matters.

 

The PCJ is mandated to provide innovative, sustainable solutions to Jamaica’s energy supply challenges. In fulfilling this mandate, we place great emphasis on utilising homogenous resources and natural assets for renewable energy solutions.

Wind Energy

 

Wigton Windfarm Limited, a subsidiary of the PCJ, was established in 2004. Wigton began operating with 20.7 MW capacity and was expanded to 38.7 MW in 2010. The clean energy facility, which is located in Rose Hill, Manchester, is the largest of its kind in the English-speaking Caribbean. It currently accounts for 4.5% of the grid’s installed generating capacity installed and 2.6 % of Jamaica’s electricity generation.In its more than ten years of operation, the wind farm reduced Jamaica’s oil consumption by almost 406,000 barrels resulting in savings of approximately J$3 billion.

In 2013 Wigton submitted a successful bid to the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) for the supply of electricity generating capacity from renewable energy sources. The company had its ground breaking ceremony for the construction of Wigton III in February 2015 and the additional 24 MW energy plant is expected to come on-stream in 2016, bringing the wind farm’s total capacity to 62.7 MW. The projected plant output is 63,072 MWh per year which should reduce national oil consumption by more than 37,100 barrels annually and result in yearly savings of approximately J$400 million.

Hydro Power

Within the last four years, the PCJ has updated hydropower studies for Laughlands, Great River and Back Rio Grande to indicate the energy and investment potentials of these water sources. Also, in support of the National Energy Policy, the Corporation has been charged with attracting investment for small hydro sites. To support the mobilization of investors, hydro power pre-feasibility and feasibility studies will be updated for 10 additional rivers across the island within the next two years.

Biofuels

Biofuels are fast becoming an attractive energy option because they are better for the environment than fossil fuels and the pricing and availability are subject to far less volatility. Although Jamaica’s biofuel industry is still relatively new, the country is already seeing the benefits as the use of E10 fuel has been advantageous for the preservation of the natural environment.

To increase the use of biofuels, the PCJ has initiated a pilot project to assess the viability of producing biodiesel from locally grown feedstocks such as castor and jatropha. In addition, the PCJ is updating its biomass studies to support renewable energy developments and is strengthening institutional arrangements for biomass monitoring, regulation and legislation.