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Virgin Islands public facilities should become more environmentally friendly, energy efficient and cheaper to operate as a result of recent action begun by Governor John P. de Jongh, Jr. Energy conservation work will be done at eleven public schools to demonstrate the development of clean-energy technologies in the Virgin Islands.
“We are starting the important work of making our government and public institutions energy efficient, an environmental and economic imperative for our territory. By taking advantage of stimulus funding, we will implement clean technologies and energy efficiency measures that will guide us into the next decade and beyond,” de Jongh said.
Energy Systems Group, LLC will do the work through a recently-signed energy savings performance contract with the Government of the Virgin Islands for the Department of Education. The work to be completed in this phase will reduce building’s energy consumption through the installation of lighting and water energy conservation measures. De Jongh said that the savings captured from reduced consumption are guaranteed to save the government more than $11,000,000 over a 10-year term, and will be used in part to offset operational costs for the Department of Education and for similar equipment upgrades in other public schools and agencies.
This work focusing on the Department of Education is funded by $6.9 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through the Virgin Islands Energy Office. This action is just one of several strategies taken by the government to ensure the Virgin Islands reach the goal set by the governor to reduce Virgin Islands dependency on fossil fuel 60 percent by 2025.
In addition, to address V.I. Water and Power Authority’s grid reliability issues, a feasibility study on inter-islands connectivity between the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and the British Virgin Islands is progressing. De Jongh said today the study will address reliability issues that plague immediate addition of intermittent renewable energy technology to the grid and would provide for a steady base load when the sun is not shining or the wind blowing.
Siemens Energy Inc., the contractor on this project, is currently working on the high voltage DC and submarine cable study and will help determine the interconnections’ potential benefits in terms of generation cost and reliability. The study will be completed by the end of June.
DOWNLOAD: Overview of Feasibility Study for Inter-Island Power Transmission between Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands
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