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“EXCELLENCE THROUGH KNOWLEDGE” P A G E 108 Caribbean’s First Solar Water Pumping System Brings Water To St Mary Residents “Farmers and residents of the Carron Hall Community in St Mary, who have lived without potable water, are now receiving the commodity as a result of the Caribbean’s first solar water pumping system. Agriculture minister and Member of Parliament (MP) for West St Mary, Robert Montague, handed over the solar water pumping system on Friday. The system, which is valued at $3 million, consists of a submerged solar pumping station. It is also being stored at the Carron Hall Primary School for distribution. The University of Technology’s energy unit designed, installed, tested and commissioned the pumping station. It is capable of delivering some 6,000 gallons of water, operating for six hours per day. In addition, the system reputed will make 3,000 gallons of water available to residents of the community. The project is a joint venture among the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica (EFJ); Minister Robert Montague; St Mary Charities; the University of Technology’s Energy Unit, Faculty of Engineering and Computing; the National Water Commission, Port Maria branch; the St. Mary Parish Council; and the Social Development Commission (SDC). Carron Hall, a rural district, in Western St. Mary has a population of approximately 2,000 residents, who have been receiving water from a spring approximately 160 feet below the road surface.” Published: Gleaner, Tuesday | July 12, 2011 Editor’s Note: In November 2011, a project proposal submitted by UTech, Jamaica as the Project Leader to the European Union/ ACP Secretariat was approved for funding in the amount of €421, 000, representing 85% of the full project cost of €495, 000. The project titled “The Application of Solar-Powered Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) Electrolysers for the Sustainable Production of Hydrogen Gas as Fuel for Domestic Cooking” had the ambitious goals of “bottling hydrogen gas as fuel for cooking”! Project partners included: Brunel University (United Kingdom); The University of the West Indies, Bureau of Standards, Jamaica; and the then Ministry of Energy & Mining. The project was officially launched in October 2012, and was featured in The Sunday Gleaner story below. Having regard to Jamaica’s energy problem, this is a project that has tremendous relevance. The project has since been successfully completed. Editor’s Note: A team of researchers from UTech’s Energy Unit in the Faculty of Engineering & Computing researched, designed, installed, tested, and commissioned a solar water pumping system that benefitted an entire rural community! The project was featured in this Gleaner story. This is an example of research having a positive impact of peoples’ quality of life. 2000 Persons Get Access to Potable Water! PUBLICATION OF UTECH, JAMAICA RESEARCH OR SCHOLARLY WORK IN THE POPULAR PRESS