Energy Office Blast VOLUME 2, NUMBER 4
MAY 14, 2014
For information on energy efficiency or alternative energy, visit the V.I. Energy website at www.vienergy.org
Wind The technical resource potential of the winds above U.S. coastal waters is enough to provide over 4,000 gigawatts of electricity, or approximately four times the generating capacity of the current U.S. electric power system. Although not all of these resources will be developed, this represents a major opportunity to provide power to highlypopulated coastal cities.
Judges at work at KidWind on St. Thomas
KidWind—Complex Wins Competition Twenty Virgin Islands students, representing eight territorial high schools, April 12 brought nine home-made wind turbines to Charlotte Amalie High School to see whose would produce the most electricity. The atmosphere in the gymnasium was often tense as Charlotte Amalie High School pulled ahead in the interview and presentation section, but Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral School make a big jump with its performance in the first wind tunnel tests. In the end it was St. Croix Education Complex team that took home the top trophy. Charlotte Amalie High School was second place and St. Peter and Paul was third. For a video from the event click here. V. I. Energy Office Director Karl Knight nicked named the tunnel where some of the turbines took a beating “Mrs. Windy.” Students were able to test their turbines in the morning after the interview section and before they were put in the tunnel to for
Solar The cost of solar panels has fallen approximatel y 100 times over since 1977, and solar panels today are about half as cheap as they were in 2008.
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competitive, production calculations. Among those attending was Gov. John P. deJongh. He said “This is an important event because it brings the technology of the future to our students today.” Knight said, “This brought our smart, technically-minded youth out to demonstrate their innovativeness and ingenuity in the area of wind technology.” He added, “A lot of valuable educative lessons came out of this project.” The early visits to the wind tunnel brought a couple calamities as turbines fell over or blades came off. But the teams made adjustments and repairs before the real competition began in the afternoon. Energy Office spokesperson Don Buchanan said, “This event was only possible because of the help of local sponsors. Many in our community realize that the Virgin Islands needs to resolve the problem of high energy costs and are willing to support efforts to help those who are ultimately going to solve the problem -- the youth.” The University of Virgin Islands worked in the planning of the event. Other sponsors were The Avis, Offshore Energies, Water and Power Authority, and Plaza Extra. St. Croix schools with participating students included Manor School, St. Croix Educational Complex, St. Croix Career and Technical Education Center, and IQRA School. On St. Thomas the schools were Charlotte Amalie High School, St. Peter and Paul, All Saints Cathedral, and Antilles Schools. The students were supplied with basic kits for the turbines, but were free to use innovative ideas and materials in creating the blades, the gear ratios, and the foundations for the turbines. Energy Office and University staff judged the design of the turbine as well as its efficiency. The wind tunnel operated at a speed of about 5 meters per second. The Kidwind Project is affiliated with a national program. This is the first year for the program in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Energy Office hopes to expand the program so that in future years, the winners from the territorial competition will be able to move on and compete in the national competition. The mission behind these Challenge Events include: Getting students excited about the promise and opportunities of renewable energy—specifically wind power—and its relationship to global climate change.
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Foster opportunities for students to build, test, explore, and understand wind energy technology at a manageable scale. Get students—particularly girls and underrepresented populations—excited about careers in STEM fields related to renewable energy. Build capacity of teachers, coaches, and other educators to better understand wind energy technology and development, as well as its promise and limitations.
Students at Alexander Henderson Elementary on St. Croix had the answers during Virgin Islands Energy in Education Week.
Energy Office Goes to Fourth Grade For thirty-four years, the governor of Virgin Islands has declared in early spring a week known as -- Virgin Islands Energy Education Week. This year, that week took place April 6th through 12th. The V.I. Energy Office, since the inception of this initiative, has been the lead agency to commemorate the week. In the past, the Energy Office has usually gone to public spaces and schools to talk to residents about energy efficiency and renewable energy. However, this year the Energy Office decided to do something different, more focused and somewhat ambitious. Energy Office Director Karl Knight decided this year that every fourth grader in the territory attending a public school would get a presentation on energy. Long-time, energy-staff member Leila Muller, presently the Grants Program Coordinator, was called upon to organize the project. She coordinated a
schedule for teams from the Energy Office and the Water and Power Authority to go to 12 elementary schools, giving at least one presentation per school, sometimes up to three depending on the number of students. The program was successful in reaching six hundred and fourteen, fourth-grade students. The presentations were about 45 minutes in length and was entitled, Energy and the Environment. They were based on a Children’s University of Manchester educational, online course. The course at the elementary level, covered three areas: How do we make electricity? Renewable and non-renewable energy Advantages and disadvantages of different energy sources At the end of each segment, there was a quiz that the classes took as a whole. Energy Office Spokesperson Don Buchanan said, “This project was a success. We have received positive feedback from the teachers. We still have ways to go to fulfil our goal. The goal is that every Virgin Islands student will learn about energy resources and how our use of them relates to their lives.”