Romaindra Mohabir (right) demonstrates to his University of Technology research supervisor, Dr. Audley Darmand, the use of a Eurotherm touch-screen computer control panel which is used to monitor and regulate factory operations at Worthy Park Estate. - Contributed

With the rise in oil prices on the world market, and the rapid decline in fossil fuels, the issue o energy sources is one that is earnestly being explored not just internationally, but locally as well.

Dr. Audley Darmand, principal researcher at the School of Engineering at the University of Technology (UTech), has completed a six-month, post-doctoral fellowship in Japan focused on electrical power systems, and renewable energy resources, an experience which will be used in attempts to find solutions.

The fellowship was awarded by the Matsumae International Foundation.

Currently, there are two projects that the university is focusing on, local sources of renewable o energy.

Serious about research

"UTech is very, very serious about research, (especially) renewable energy research. We're looking at the possibility of cooling some of the houses in Portmore with some novel research. We're looking at the possibility of propagating solar panels across the length and breadth of Jamaica," Dr. Darmand says.

As it relates t energy, he says the university is currently doing some major research work at Worthy Park, in St. Catherine.

"We are looking at a by-product of sugar production, which is biogas, and that is biomass, which is energy. But we're also looking at using the baggas as biomass, to use the Worthy Park 1.3 megawatt to provide energy," says Dr. Darmand.

He also disclosed that UTech is currently looking at converting waste at the Riverton dump into energy. "We are at the advanced technical stages of discussion with the people who manage that technology to provide us with the systems to convert waste to energy."