28261: De Verteuil (comment) Re: 28251: Re: 28226: Paryski (comment) Haiti's energy future (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

> From Patrick de Verteuil

Just two comments on electrifying Haiti:

1.) EDH (Electricité d'Haiti) has been unable, for at least the last twenty
years, to collect for more than 50% of the electricity it produces. If the
state owned company cannot collect how will a private (presumably foreign)
company manage.

2.) Where rural, or small town, electricity is concerned the problem should
be divided into :
a) electricity for lighting which I believe to be highly feasible (if the
installations are donated) in that the communities can carry the operating
costs, particularly if the new WLED (White Light Emitting Diodes) technology
is used. This reduces current needs by 80 to 90% making solar panel and
battery systems affordable. The solar panels and the lights are nearly
eternal but the batteries must be replaced every four years or so.
And b) electricity for power (refrigerators, sowing machines, televisions
etc) which small communities cannot, as yet, afford to operate.