The project is a collaboration of Bonaire’s local energy company and EcoPower Bonaire BV. Construction of a new wind turbine is already underway and will be installed on Bonaire's southeast coast, an area with favorable climate conditions where a defunct turbine currently stands.
The next phase, which is due to be completed late next year, will be the addition of a wind farm of about a dozen turbines on the northeast coast, and the construction of a diesel power plant. According to a news release from Econcern, part of the consortium that makes up EcoPower Bonaire BV, “under ideal circumstances, the new wind farm alone could meet Bonaire’s current electrical needs.”
In addition to generating energy using wind farms, Bonaire is looking to develop bio-diesel fuel from the island’s natural wealth of algae.
Read how Bonaire’s natural integrity stacked up against 110 other islands in the 4th annual "Places Rated" survey, featured in the November/December issue of National Geographic Traveler. Our panel of 522 experts grade 111 islands according to their ability to avoid the dangers of too much tourism.
Photo: Kevin "Elvis" King of Pensacola, Fla.
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This project seems to be a very positive step in the right direction. However, not all is as it seems or as EcoPower/Econcern would like you to believe.
BAD ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT-PROCEDURE
First of all, a flawed Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)-procedure has taken place: location was not part of the EIA; permits were given out while the EIA was not finished yet; the EIA-commission itself broke up before the end of the procedure (though still somehow, an advice to the government has been given by this broken up EIA-commission…); interested and concerned people have not gotten answers to letters; the EIA process and project was not impartial, not transparent, not well motivated, and not well thought through.
BUILD IN NATURE AREA
Secondly, the HFO-power plant is being built in a national nature area, in the vicinity of a RAMSAR-site (‘Gotomeer’ with flamingos), a National Marine Park (BNMP) and several important natural scenes for tourists.
3rd WORLD EMISSION NORMS
EcoPower/Econcern is planning on using emission norms (for output of gasses harmful to human and ecosystem health) comparable to those of 3rd world countries set by the World Bank, whereas far more “healthy” norms are available.
HEAVY FUEL OIL
EcoPower/Econcern will start using bio-oil as soon as it is competitive in price with the Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) they will be used until then… (This HFO is one of the dirtiest and thus one of the cheapest oil available). At least 50% of the electricity will be produced by this power plant.
Also, the production of bio-oil from algae grown on Bonaire is not happening and according to several experts is 'future music' anyway.
That is information which is never written down in honesty in any of the numerous press releases that EcoPower/Econcern has published. Using wind turbines is a very good step forward and in that respect this is a good project. However, several other aspects of this project are unnecessary and certainly not something to be proud of. And those facts should be out in the open as well, instead of only painting a sunny happy Caribbean eco picture.