Hydro-electric dams their mainrenewable source

THE EDITOR: Wayne Kublalsingh, who eight years ago defied the laws of biology by surviving without food and water for several months, in a recent article ("Overcoming floods, landslides, storms," Newsday, December 20) asserts that TT can supply all of its energy needs through renewable sources.

To prove that relying on renewable is possible, Kublalsingh cites countries like Norway, whose energy needs are “99 per cent renewables-based, New Zealand, 81 per cent; Brazil, 78 per cent; Colombia, 75 per cent.”

He fails to mention that the main renewable source for all these countries is large hydro-electric dams, which cannot be built in Trinidad, let alone Tobago, due to geographical constraints. Even New Zealand gets 60 per cent of its primary energy from oil, gas and coal.

To be sure, Kublalsingh’s plan is feasible if the rest of us, like him, could survive on water and tulsi leaves for 15 months. But, unfortunately, not even Mahatma Gandhi ever displayed such remarkable intestinal fortitude.

ELTON SINGH

Couva