Workshop tackles deJongh's energy goal

ST. THOMAS - It is an audacious but attainable goal to reduce the territory's dependence on fossil fuels by 60 percent in 2025, Dr. Adam Warren told a standing room-only crowd Thursday at the University of the Virgin Islands.

And with the price of oil projected to rise even higher, the territory must take action before power costs spiral out of control, said Warren, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory expert who is helping lead the Energy Development in Island Nations pilot project here.

"This is the historic LEAC - which I've learned is a cuss word in the USVI," Warren said, gesturing toward a graph of the Levelized Energy Adjustment Clause, the V.I. Water and Power Authority's fuel surcharge, climbing steadily over time.

It was the territory's fourth time participating in an Energy Development in Island Nations workshop, and Warren presented the government officials, business owners and residents in attendance with a number of ways to meet Gov. John deJongh Jr.'s energy mandate and set an example for island nations across the world.

Warren said the territory can reduce its dependence on fossil fuel through two paths: by increasing its energy efficiency and by using more renewable energy sources. He described it as the "kitchen sink" approach, as it will employ a number of technologies and tactics to the meet the goal.

DeJongh's aggressive time line means the territory does not have time to waste, Warren said. The renewable energy sources he is suggesting - wind, solar, waste-to-energy, biomass and landfill gas - are tested methods that have the greatest likelihood of succeeding here, Warren said.

That raised some concerns from members of the crowd, who questioned why the plan did not include geothermal or ocean thermal energy conversion.

WAPA executive director Hugo Hodge Jr. said he supports pursuing both of those options but that the other renewable energy methods will be easier to install, fund and successfully run at this point in time.

"We have a small community and a small load, and the chances we take have to be calculated," Hodge said. "We can't afford to make a mistake."

During the EDIN workshop sessions today and Saturday, participants will try to decide who will do what to meet the governor's energy mandate, Warren said. But in every case, Warren added, it is essential for WAPA and the V.I. Energy Office to take the lead.

The territory has about 14 years to meet the governor's goal, and Warren and the federally funded National Renewable Energy Laboratory will not be able to guide the territory during that entire time.

Warren told The Daily News that he anticipates he and the laboratory will play a major consulting role for only another two to three years, after which the responsibility to keep things moving forward will remain with the territory.

"We are here to help set that direction," Warren said.

- Contact reporter Karen Hollish at 774-8772 ext. 304 or email khollish@dailynews.vi How can the territory decrease its use of oil from almost 2.6 million barrels in 2009 to just 1.2 million barrels by 2025? According to Dr. Adam Warren of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the territory could:

- Save 883,953 barrels of oil by increasing the energy efficiency of the V.I. Water and Power Authority plants, other government buildings, businesses and homes. This would reduce the territory's oil consumption by 38 percent.

- Save 655,085 barrels of oil by using renewable energy sources, reducing the territory's current oil consumption by 22 percent. The renewable technology mix should be:

- Utility-scale wind, 22 megawatts; distributed (or smaller-scale) wind, 1 megawatt.

- Waste-to-energy, 16.5 megawatts.

- Utility-scale solar photovoltaic, 8 megawatts; distributed solar photovoltaic, 1 megawatt.

- Landfill gas, 5 megawatts.

- Biomass, 3 megawatts.

- Solar hot water, 2 out of 5 households.

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