A first in the region! Solar tree installed @ Noel Lloyd Park
"Visitors to Noel Lloyd Positive Action Movement Park are now able to sit down in the shade of a Solar Tree and charge their phones with power from the sun," a post on Saturday, July 25, 2020, from Green VI stated.
The non-profit organisation said it was part of on-going efforts to demonstrate that "now" is the time for the Virgin Islands to move towards alternative energy.
According to the post, the OPTree was donated to Green VI by Sunew, a Brazilian company specialising in Organic Photovoltaics (OPV). OPV devices convert energy from the sun into electrical energy.
The non-profit organisations also teamed up with the Wickhams Cay Development Authority, Creque's Engineering Services, ATEC BVI, Rotary Club of Tortola, Abbi E. Christopher and Perception BVI.
Going green
During the 13th sitting of the second session of the Fourth House of Assembly on July 21, 2020, Premier Andrew A. Fahie (R1) said his Government would be moving forward with alternative energy as per their election promise in the 2019 General Election.
"We promised that if given the opportunity, we would make alternative energy not just a conversation, but a commodity to households across our Territory. The impact on our electricity supply caused by Hurricane Irma in 2017 reminds us of the fragility of traditional sources of energy, which sources are also damaging to the environment. The impact of climate change globally has been significant, especially over the last decade, and the continued use of fossil fuels is seen as a major contributor," he said.
He noted that the Virgin Islands is especially vulnerable to the impact of climate change due to changing weather patterns, the increased strength and unpredictability of storms and their potential impact on tourism, other sectors and the overall economy.
"The occurrence of the massive flood and two strongest hurricanes (Irma and Maria) in the history of the Atlantic season in 2017 is strong evidence of this. As such, the use of solar, wind, and water as alternate sources of energy must be at the forefront of the Territory's future energy needs. Mister Speaker, I said during the Elections that moving forward with the National Energy Transition Policy in a thoughtful and proactive manner was something which must be given the priority it deserves. I must say that this Government is committed to making the use of renewable energy on a significant scale throughout the Territory, a reality."
Green energy is free!
Hon Fahie also stated that the BVI Electricity Corporation was mandated to lead the charge in driving the Territory's transition to green energy sources and "as a Government, we have also set the target of becoming at least 60 per cent Green by 2030."
"Green energy is free. Thus, by reducing our fossil fuel consumption by 60 per cent, we can reduce this leakage by about $15.7 million per year, based on the current usage and prices. That would be savings for the people of the Virgin Islands of $78.5 million dollars over the first five years when we reach the 60 per cent target mark."
Meanwhile, with the creation of a micro-grid, on Anegada, the BVIEC is working with a 10-year energy outlook, and the corporation aims that by 2021, Anegada will have an 80 per cent reduction of inputs to fossil-fuel-based energy generation, he added.
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22 Responses to “A first in the region! Solar tree installed @ Noel Lloyd Park”
I am a full blooded BVIslander and I think it's time to cut out the foolishness about "down Island"..Only a fool can carry on in this way...if down Island wants to follow , that's good..Somebody have to be the first to do something somewhere.We are one Caribbean and one people... if disaster was to strike this region ,be it hurricane, Earthquake, sickness ect.Do you think it will single out who from here or who is from down island.More than 80% of BVIslander are somehow affiliated with so-called down island people...it is time for the editor to ban these types of comments.