Beginnings Issue 12.pub - Planning Institute of Jamaica

P a ge 14 I s s u e 12
IN FOCUS
Energy Matters (Part 2)
By Richard Kelly
In our last issue, the first of this two part feature introduced the
major findings of a Household Energy End Use Survey,
commissioned by the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ)
and conducted by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN)
and the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ). The main findings
highlighted the use of electricity, Liquid Petroleum Gas, and
charcoal and solar energy among Jamaicans, Part 2 now looks at
the major findings associated with energy efficiency in
transportation and energy conservation.
TRANSPORTATION
It was found that the Jamaican public mainly used public
transportation since nearly 75 per cent of households did not own a
motor vehicle (Figure 1). This gave a measure of energy efficiency
in the transport sector. More urban households owned a motor
vehicle than their rural counterparts (31.5 per cent and 18.7 per cent
respectively).
Figure 1. Percentage of Households
3+
Vehicles
1%
2 Vehicles
5%
1 Vehicle
19%
with/without motor vehicles
% of Households
0 Vehicles
75%
Households headed by males had a higher percentage of vehicle
ownership (32.3 per cent) compared to those headed by females
(16.9 per cent). The most common motor vehicle owned or
operated by households was a motor car (67.8 per cent followed by
pickups (13.1 per cent) and SUVs (6.2 per cent). A higher
percentage of rural households owned or operated minivans/buses
(13.3 per cent) compared to their urban counterparts (4.8 per cent).
Some 53.2 per cent of motor cars were over 10 years old, with 15.5
per cent being over 15 years old (Figure 2). The mean age was 10.8
years and about 75.0 per cent of the pickups in the survey were over
10 years, with 41.7 per cent being over 15 years old (Figure 3). The
mean age for pickups was 12.8 years. The age of the fleet had
implications for foreign exchange to import spare parts to maintain
them, and for facilities to dispose of them when they are finally
unusable.
3.
Figure 2. Average Age of Motor Cars
11-15
years
38%
Average Age of Pickups
Figure
Only Average age 12.6 years
1 3 . 2
p e r
0-5 years
c e n t
8%
o f
> 15 years
42%
>15 years
15%
0-5 years
14%
6-10 years
33%
6-10 years
17%
11-15 years
33%
respondents stated that fuel economy was not important or
not very important to them when deciding which vehicle to
purchase, with little difference between urban and rural
based respondents, male and female, and age group.
Public transport was the main means of transport to work
with 26 per cent taking the route taxi and 14 per cent the
public buses (Table B). The former was similar to the use of
own vehicles. About 21 per cent walked to work, and
another 5 per cent rode a bicycle.
The average Jamaican travelled 14.1 kilometers to work,
with the highest proportion being in the 2.1-5 km range
(25.4 per cent of respondents), and the next highest being
the 10.1-30 km range (22.7 per cent). In the urban areas,
workers travelled an average of 14.9 km to work while in
rural areas it was 13.3 km.
Students mainly used public transport to get to school,
predominantly the route taxi (37.2 per cent of households),
public buses (18.7 per cent), minivans (3.0 per cent) and
private taxis (4.6 per cent). In total 63.5 per cent of
(Continued on page 15)