The University of the Virgin Islands will launch its new Caribbean Green Technology Center (CGTC) at a symposium to be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, April 11, in the Administration and Conference Center (ACC) on UVI’s St. Thomas campus.
The Caribbean Green Technology Center was created in response to one of UVI President David Hall’s top priorities for the university: protecting natural resources by reducing waste and utilizing sustainable energy.
UVI Assistant Professor of Engineering Dr. Wayne Archibald is director of the CGTC. As the U.S. Virgin Islands seeks to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels, the center will be an academic research hub to provide data collection, analysis and support.
“Our main mission would be to foster research, education and public service on sustainability,” Dr. Archibald said. UVI will partner with federal and local government agencies to establish a strategy for energy deployment. “We are highly dependent on fossil fuels, with a low population and an abundance of renewable energy. It makes (the USVI) an ideal place to showcase the potential for renewable energy,” he said.
The center will assist UVI and its partners in the exploration of renewable energy strategies that have the capacity to impact transportation, electricity generation and transmission, tourism and industry.
“Energy efficiency is a big deal here because a lot of energy is wasted in the Virgin Islands,” Dr. Archibald said. “As an example, one can simply take a walk down Main Street on St. Thomas and feel the air conditioning that blows out of shops onto the street. We need to develop a sustainable future.”
For more information, contact CGTC Director Dr. Archibald at 693-1158 or send e-mail to [email protected]. Visit the Caribbean Green Technology Center online at http://cgtc.uvi.edu/