The dreamy isolation of many private islands is part of the appeal, but in some cases it can be a barrier to connecting to the grid. For affluent island owners, creative solutions are being developed to overcome this hurdle, and some are now able to achieve energy independence by turning to renewables for the power they need.
Typically, a solar energy system on a small island will consist of an array of flat panels, or photovoltaic cells, that capture a percentage (5-15%) of the sun’s energy as electricity and charge a set of batteries connected to the electrical grid. If the batteries run low, a backup power source such as a generator takes over to meet demand.
But Kamen wants to go one step further, aiming for zero net energy consumption. For this, he and his engineers at Teletrol Systems, another of his companies based in New Hampshire, have designed a complex system that monitors every energy-consuming process on the island (including all those LED lights) and choreographs the different sources and generators to ensure that consumption never outpaces generation. This he can control from his basement command center, where a large flat touch-screen display plots the day’s energy flows in real time.
To keep pace with the island’s demand, the system relies on four clusters of solar panels that have a combined peak output of around 12 kW. It also uses a 10-kW wind turbine that looks like a cartoon missile, built by Bergey Windpower Co., and a beefed-up version of the 193-year-old Stirling engine that serves as a backup generator.
And to make the whole thing work smoothly, Kamen and his team have incorporated Wartsila GEMS — an energy management system that seamlessly integrates a portfolio of component neutral resources (including the 10MW of batteries) with RECO’s existing generators to create a robust energy supply for the entire island. GEMS will also be able to seamlessly manage future renewable energy resources that RECO might install on the island.
For most island nations, the cost of fossil fuels is a major constraint, and many have been forced to declare fiscal emergencies due to soaring energy costs. This is because most small islands are geographically isolated and don’t benefit from economies of scale when it comes to energy production.
While a few small islands have achieved energy independence by going all-renewable — such as Little Hall’s Pond Cay in the Bahamas, owned by Johnny Depp, and Nukabati Resort in Fiji, both powered by solar — most continue to rely on costly diesel or fuel oil. But, if well-crafted renewable infrastructure projects are adopted, some of these island states may be able to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels and attract significant investment. Such is the hope behind the Malta Communique On Accelerating Renewable Energy Uptake For Islands, which was agreed on at a recent two-day conference hosted by the 100-nation International Renewable Energy Agency and the island nation of Malta.