RADIO HABANA CUBA Hello and welcome to Breakthrough, Radio Havana Cuba's science, technology and the environment update. I am Arnaldo, Arnie, Coro, RHC's science editor, and as always, it is my pleasure to tell you about recent developments here in Cuba.
BREAKTHROUGH
Report on Science, Technology & the EnvironmentFor broadcast Sunday, May 20 & Thursday, May 24, 2001
Written and narrated by Arnaldo "Arnie" Coro, RHC's Science Editor
Not too long ago very important technological event took place here in Havana. The topic was ENERGY and the SUGAR INDUSTRY, centering the discussion around the very good possibilities for the sugar cane industry to produce value-added energy. In other words, BIOMASS is going to be an increasing source of electricity for Cuba, as demonstrated during the present sugar harvest season now coming to an end in May.
According to experts who presented their papers at the meeting, BIOMASS will make an important contribution to the nation's energy budget by means of a much more efficient use of the bagass -- or left overs after the sugar cane is crushed, and sugar cane leaves. Both the bagass and the leaves will be compacted and burned in non-conventional steam generators, which can convert much more of the fuel's energy into heat. As a matter of fact, a project for a full size BIOMASS power plant is now in progress and according to design parameters. it should provide up to 40 megaWatts of electricity during peak load hours to the western part of the island.
Bagass is already the industry's own prime energy source, but the typical sugar mill uses low pressure steam generators that are inefficient and waste a lot of the available energy. Havana Province's Hector Molina Sugar Mill will be the testbed for all the new technologies. Their engineers will run the first highly efficient electricity generating plant that uses biomass as its fuel...
Biomass is renewable energy -- each and every yearly crop will provide the power plant with all the fuel it requires to power the sugar mill, and a surplus amount of electricity that will be sold to the national power company. That's why the Cuban sugar industry minister, Ulises Rosales del Toro, told Cuban TV reporters recently that BIOMASS will provide the industry with an additional source of income, making the production of raw brown sugar much more viable from an economic point of view.
Synchronizing the sugar mill's electrical generator with the national electrical system has required the installation of sophisticated telecommunications facilities, the training of the operating personnel and redesigning the electricity generating grid to make the best possible use of the much lower cost fuel.
BIOMASS electricity is now a reality here in Cuba, and during the next several years more highly efficient high pressure steam generators and steam turbines will be installed in order to benefit as much as possible from what someone at the meeting called, very properly GREEN ELECTRICITY...
If you want to know more about Cuba's national program for producing electricity from non-conventional sources, just send me an e-mail to arnie@radiohc.org, and I will be very happy to send you a computer file with the GREEN ENERGY INFO PACKAGE. If you do not have e-mail, just send a post card to Arnie Coro, Radio Havana Cuba, Havana, Cuba and ask for the GREEN ENERGY INFO PACKAGE, and don't forget to include your return address.
From Havana, this was another edition of Breakthrough; I'll be back with you next week at the same time and short wave frequency. Now let me wish you excellent reception of our short wave transmissions from Havana. This is Arnaldo, Arnie Coro, RHC's science editor, now saying goodbye to you all.
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