Duties lifted for energy savers

[Dr.Dudd]

Duties lifted for energy savers
published: Wednesday | June 21, 2006

Susan Gordon, Staff Reporter

AS OF August 1 this year, import tariffs and the General Consumption Tax will be lifted from key energy saving devices.

Lifting levies on the 30 devices, excluding solar water heaters, is part of the ministry's energy policy to promote energy conservation in Jamaica and reduce the country's oil bill, says Minister of Industry, Technology, Energy and Commerce, Philip Paulwell in his sectoral debate presentation in Gordon House yesterday. He said Jamaica was blocked in its bid to get tariffs removed from solar water heaters in Caricom negotiations.

The devices include compact fluorescent lamps, water saving shower heads, photovoltaic panels and flow restrictors for water faucets.

"This initiative is going to result in loss of taxation revenue to the Government estimated at $487 million per annum," said Mr. Paulwell. "However, if the public aggressively seizes the opportunity from the lower cost investments, significant reduction in our bill and foreign exchange cost will accrue," he added.



In 2005 Jamaica's oil bill was U$1.3 billion and reflected a six per cent increase over 2004.

Dudd: If they still refuse to make batteries and other forms of energy storage devices taxable,it will not aCHIEVE ANY DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENTS.
I CAN;T SEE HOW WITH ALL THE ECONOMISTS THAT ARE FLOATING AROUND DOWN THERE ONE OF THEM, EVEN ONE cant explain the potential for increased taxes from this one action they are resisting for so long. All they have to do ia to require minimum size limits that makes it prohibitive if not impossible to use the batteries in over the road vehicles. one thing though unless they extend the tax exempt to the energy recepticles,it will be still to prohibiotive to be accessed to the numbers that will show the level of improvement to worth this move. Not to include the small businesses that will sprout up using solar energy to mower small appliances,to earn a living instead of trying to steal energy from the local grid,to be viable.

[Gen]

Re: Duties lifted for energy savers

been meaning to ask if anybody down there aggressively pursuing the use of energy saving devices....

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: Duties lifted for energy savers

[ QUOTE ]
been meaning to ask if anybody down there aggressively pursuing the use of energy saving devices....

[/ QUOTE ]
They are intested and they are poised to really give the JPS a run for their money,but the government cant see the forest due to their seeing 'trees' instead. they don't seem to be able to see the bigger picture.
It is much bigger than the telephone miracle that the deregulation of the industry brought. There will be so many spin off that will make much money the government will recoup many times the taxes they thibk they will be loosing by keeping the taxes on the batteries for the solar collectors.
Then you will see the cost of electricity fall like C&W telephone bills.
There are designs for small systems that can run an housold,that would be affordable to the market,but because of the large number of batteries that are needed,to take care of long periods of rainy weather,it is prohibitive. although it ill be affordable without the taxes.
Now if the government could only see that what they loose on those batteries,they will make up on increase productivity,and a reduction in power cost,due to reduce demand during peak periods.

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: it actually includes the batteries

Tax exemption on energy saving products granted
published: Thursday | June 22, 2006


AS OF August 1 a range of 30 energy saving products will become GCT and import duty exempt, a move which Government hopes will encourage greater public take-up while reducing the national import fuel bill.

Dr. Cezley Sampson, adviser to the Prime Minister on energy, had prepared the list of products in tandem with the national energy policy. The policy focuses on energy efficiency and a target to increase the level of electricity generation coming from renewable sources from six to 15 per cent by 2020.

However, opposition at CARICOM level by Dominica and Barbados, who produce solar water heaters, prevented that product from gaining an exemption.

Making the announcement during his Budget presentation in Parliament on Tuesday, Minister of Industry, Technology, Energy and Commerce, Phillip Pauwell, said the exemptions would cost Government an estimated $487 million in lost taxation revenue.

He noted, however, that if the public seized the opportunity, substantial savings could be made towards the national fuel import bill which, having reached US$1.33 billion in 2005, could reach US$1.5 billion this year.

Products to be tax-exempt as of August 1

Occupancy sensors, seven-day and 24-hour timers, compact fluorescent light bulbs, electronic fluorescent ballasts, solar dryers, water saving shower heads, flow restricters for water faucets, power factor correction capacitors, ice thermal storage air conditioning, air conditioning chillers with rotary screw compressors, polyurethane foam insulation for roofs, reflective films for glass windows, photovoltaic panels, charge controllers, safety disconnects, load breakers, negative bonding blocks, transfer switch, inverters, photovoltaic batteries, solar electric fans, solar electric refrigerators, wind turbines and support accessories, solar water pumping system and accessories, solar street and walkway lamps, parking area and security solar lighting system, brackets and mounts for solar lights, bulbs for solar powered system

Dudd [b]OK that look like they are serious about it now. Just lets watch the secondary benefits that will be derived from it.
As to the solar water heater,the parts are duty free,so an assemply plant would be a boon for somebody with fore thought. Incidentally I have a good source for such a plant.