KINGSTON: Jamaica has an energy problem, over 90 percent comes from expensive imports. That means businesses such as this poultry farm spend more than they can afford on fuel and electricity.
Shelly-Ann Dinnall raises over half a million birds a year here. But profits were elusive.
She said “the electricity bill was really high. So it was eating up a lot of our profit so we had to put a stop that.”
Now, new laws formulated with guidance from the World Bank are making alternative energy more affordable. Dinnall got a private loan to install solar panels on her four chicken coops. She can tap into the electricity grid when she needs a back up to her solar power, and she can even sell any excess energy the panels generate back to the utility.
Shelly-Ann also said “we’ll be paying less for electricity bills so that will help for me to venture into other business because I’ll be getting better profits. I’ll be making better money from the poultry industry. So that will help me to expand and grow.”
On an island known for its sunny weather, solar power not only makes good environmental sense; it’s helping the economy thrive.
STORY: JAMAICA / SOLAR ENERGY
SOURCE: WORLD BANK
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE : ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 11 FEBRUARY 2015, ST. CATHERINES, JAMAICA
SHOT LIST:
1.Wide shot, cars driving past gas station
2.Wide shot, cars driving past gas station
3.Med shot, Shelly-Ann Dinnall walking into chicken coop
4.Tilt up, chicken coop
5.Med shot, Shelly adjusting feeding machine
6.Close up, chickens drinking water from machine
7.Med shot, Shelly adjusting watering machine
8.Close up, Shelly adjusting watering machine
- Close up, chickens drinking water from machine
- SOUNDBITE (English) Shelly-Ann Dinnall, Poultry farmer:
“Well the electricity bill was really high. So it was eating up a lot of our profit so we had to put a stop that.”
- Med shot, electrical box
- Pan left, solar panels on roof of chicken coop
- Zoom out, solar panels on roof of chicken coop
- Med shot, fans spinning in chicken coop
- Med shot, Shelly adjusting watering machine
- Close up, Shelly adjusting watering machine
- Close up, chickens eating from feeding machine
- SOUNDBITE (English) Shelly-Ann Dinnall, Poultry farmer:
We’ll be paying less for electricity bills so that will help for me to venture into other business because I’ll be getting better profits. I’ll be making better money from the poultry industry. So that will help me to expand and grow.”
- Wide shot, workers walking in chicken coop
- Close up, chickens drinking water from machine
- Tilt up from chicken coops to sky
- Pan left, solar panels on roof of chicken coop
- Pan right, solar panels on roof of chicken coop
DURATION: 01:25
