Energy Office Blast VOLUME 2, NUMBER5
JULY 1, 2014
Win Energy Savings Residents can win energy efficient appliances at the Housing Expo, Saturday at the Sunshine Mall. Everyone who turns in an energy survey at the VI Energy Office table will be eligible for drawing for free washer and dryer. The drawing will be held at 3 p.m.
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.
Virgin Islands Grocery Store Energy Project Earns Praise Solar The cost of solar panels has fallen and solar panels today are about half as cheap as they were in 2008.
Virgin Islands energy officials are applauding the strategy behind the recent Food Town Supermarket project in LaGrande Princess. “Food Town put energy efficiency first and alternative energy second; the perfect one-two punch,” says Don Buchanan, V.I. Energy Office spokesman. Onaje Jackson, president, Sustainable Systems and Design International, says, “You have to give Food Town credit. They made an investment that we think is a model for the Virgin Islands commercial sector.”
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Yes, the project does include a 100-killowatt, solar-PV system. Food Town invested a quarter million dollars in it and it will provide 30 per cent of store’s power. It will pay for itself in three years. But that was just the final step in a project which began a year and half ago with walk through audit conducted by Jackson’s company -Sustainable Systems and Design International. Food Town owners were not only looking for energy efficiency and producing some of their own energy; they had a business plan -- to provide the highest quality products at competitive prices in a world-class facility The first step was a half million dollar investment
in a combination of store beautification and energy efficiency upgrades. The completed "face lift" and replacement of existing lights and refrigerated cases with new, high-efficiency equipment has resulted in a bright, highly inviting, customer shopping experience plus a 20 percent reduction in storewide power demand. “We urge all businesses who come to us to do an energy audit first. No energy is cheaper than the energy you don’t use,” says Karl Knight, director of the Virgin Islands Energy Office.” He continues, “Food Town by looking comprehensively at its business was able to integrate intelligent, energy efficiency upgrades in an economic way that will translate into lower prices for its customers.” According to Jackson, the third phase of Food Town's smart energy program is the upgrade of its central refrigerated line system (multiple compressors that provide the "cold lines" for all refrigerated / freezer units) which will result in approximately 35 percent added reduction in total power demand. Once complete, the total power contribution from the solar system will increase to approximately 45 per cent.
The workers who installed the solar panels took part in the Energy Office’s solar installers training class.
Jackson can be reached at ojssdi@yahoo.com or 718 4711.