The Energy Development in Island Nations (EDIN) partners will meet with members of the U.S. Virgin Islands Energy Action Team, project working groups and local clean energy champions for a Community Clean Energy Workshop on Sept. 15 at the University of the Virgin Islands – St. Croix campus. The purpose of the workshop, which is the fifth since the EDIN-USVI project was launched in February 2010, is to involve the community in building on the momentum that has been generated by recent progress, including the solar installation at Cyril E. King Airport and the energy efficiency upgrades that are under way at 11 local schools.
Having developed an Energy Road Map (click here to see Roadmap) based on technical analyses performed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), EDIN-USVI directors Hugo Hodge Jr. and Karl Knight, along with founding partners the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), the VI Energy Office (VIEO) and the VI Water and Power Authority (WAPA), are encouraging community-wide involvement in the project. Interested community members will have an opportunity to collaborate with active project supporters representing local businesses and non-profits. The workshop, which is open to the public, will provide a forum for government, utility, education and businesses leaders; environmental groups; clean energy advocates and developers; and others to present progress reports, data analyses and lessons learned, as well as engage in collaborative planning.
EDIN is an international partnership focused on addressing the unique energy challenges islands face by advancing the deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. The USVI was selected as EDIN’s first U.S. pilot project. The purpose of the project is to support the USVI’s goal of reducing fossil fuel consumption in the electricity and transportation sectors 60 percent by 2025.
Governor Energizing Solar Project at St. Thomas Airport
Virgin Islands Governor John deJongh Jr. will pull the switch to energize the largest installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels in the Virgin Islands at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 14, at the Cyril E. King Airport. Click here for slide show of project.
The PV array at the airport is one of several projects instituted to help the government achieve a goal set by the governor last year that the Virgin Islands to reduce fossil fuel consumption 60 percent in the territory by 2025.
The Virgin Islands Port Authority (VIPA) partnered with the Virgin Islands Energy Office and the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority in an effort to not only help reduce the territory’s dependence on fossil fuel, but also lower VIPA’s electricity bill. The panel system at the airport will reduce the airport’s energy costs 15 percent annually. This means itsutility bill will be reduced by more than $35,000 a month. The project was made possible through American Recovery and ReinvestmentAct (ARRA) funding,which was monitored by the local Energy Office.Technical support for this project was provided by the U.S. Department of Energy through the Energy Development in Island Nations (EDIN) program.
All Rounder Systems, LLC of St. Croix, partnered with Veterans General Contracting of Atlanta, to design and install the system using mostly local labor and subcontractors. OneWorld Sustainable, also of Georgia, was the principal solar subcontractor. All Rounder professionals directly managed the project with Veterans General directing the finance aspects.
At the Wednesday event the governor is expected to make the announcement of a major donation from OneWorld to the Virgin Islands Department of Education.
The event will begin with formal remarks in the conference room at the VIPA building near the airport, and then participates will proceed to the system site where the switch will be pulled.