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“EXCELLENCE THROUGH KNOWLEDGE” P A G E 73 Jamaica’s Energy Future: Meeting 2030 Target? Jamaica is the largest English speaking nation in the Caribbean and has a population of just over 2.7million residents. It is approximately 145 kilometers south of Cuba and 190 kilometers west of Haiti. Industry in Jamaica is mainly comprised of bauxite plants, sugar factories, food and drink manufacturing and tourism. With the demand for energy growing in the island, the Government of Jamaica in 2009 released Jamaica’s National Energy Policy 2009-2030. This document charts the plan for Jamaica fulfilling its energy needs up to 2030. As stated in the document, the vision of Jamaica’s energy sector is “a modern, efficient, diversified and environmentally sustainable energy sector providing affordable and accessible energy supplies with long-term energy security and supported by informed public behaviour on energy issues and an appropriate policy, regulatory and institutional framework’. The vision has seven clear goals that address: (1) energy conservation, (2) modernization of the energy infrastructure (3) development of renewable energy sources, (4) energy security and environmental sustainability, (5) regulatory framework for the energy sector (6) energy conservation in government agencies and (7) eco-efficiency of Jamaican industry. Regarding energy from renewable sources, the expectation is that by 2030, no less than 20 per cent of Jamaica’s energy supply should come from renewable sources. In late 2015, the State Minister for Science, T.V.Chambers 1 , J. Luukanen2, D.O.Reid 1 , N. Brown 1 , A. Abdulkahdri 3 , A. Evans’, S. Mckenzie’, M. Korkeakoski 2 , W.Moore 4 , L. Vazquez Seisdedos5, Y. Majanne 6 , L. Alleyne 4 1 School of Engineering, University of Technology, Jamaica 2 Finland Futures Research Centre, University of Turku, Finland ‘Department of Economics, University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Jamaica 4 Department of Economics, University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Bridgetown, Barbados ’Faculty of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, University of Oriente, Santiago, Cuba 6 Tampere University of Technology, Finland Can a Computer Model Tell us Today Whether Jamaica Will Meet Its Renewable Energy Targets? ENGINEERING, ICT APPLICATIONS & INFORMATION SYSTEMS Editor’s Note: Jamaica is highly energy insecure country. It is dependent on imported petroleum products to meet close to 90% of its energy needs. Targets to diversify the energy mix with renewable sources have been set out in the country’s Energy Policy. But will these targets be met? This is the question UTech researchers, led by Dr. Therese Chambers, in collaboration with other colleagues in other institutions, sought to answer using sophisticated modeling tools. The question is answered in the article below. Therese Chambers