Haiti’s chronic electricity problem can is by explained by energy fuel it uses. This is mainly diesel and more recently mazut which are both too expensive and unsustainable for Haiti. Haiti needs to start at the bottom of the ladder like all the developed countries using the cheaper and most readily available source of energy which is coal. Although the trend is to promote clean or alternative energy, solar, hydroelectric , wind or natural gas, none of these models can beat coal in terms of price per kw/hr. Being the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti cannot afford the luxury to start at the top price per kw/hr when it can obtain better.
Group Citadelle (GC) has initiated discussions with a few communities in Haiti for locating the companies first few on-demand electricity plants to help Haiti its charcoal (cooking fuel) and electricity problems. With total economic development as the general focus of those discussions, the first projects will comprise of an alternative briquette manufacturing plant and on-demand electricity power plants. Those communities will benefit from:
- Safe, inexpensive, and reliable electricity.
- Creation of high wage jobs.
- Reversal of the damages caused by deforestation.
- Help with economic development
In all, GC and its partners will invest over $4 billion within the next four years to render those communities high performance economic zones. Reliable electricity is expected to attract investments for further boosting those local economies.