A private island is the stuff of dreams—but it’s not all palm trees and white sand. Some owners have found that a life away from the mainland also means being cut off from the electricity grid. That’s when enterprising owners need to get creative.
One solution is to install a solar power system and battery storage. This is more expensive than connecting to the utility grid, but it can save money in the long run. Another option is to use a generator. This is a good choice for islands in the Caribbean, Central America and Australia where sunlight is abundant.
But a generator can be noisy and costly to maintain. And for many, the idea of living with a diesel generator for an entire year isn’t exactly appealing. A third option is to rely on renewable energy systems. This is the approach taken on Eigg, a small island in Scotland.
Before Eigg switched to renewables, the island relied on noisy and expensive diesel generators for all its electricity. After the switch, residents rely on a mix of renewables to power their homes and businesses. Eigg’s solar panels, for example, generate a total of 12.2 kW of electricity. The system is complemented by a 10-kW wind turbine and a 193-year-old Stirling engine in the basement of the community hall.
All these sources of electricity are coordinated by a computer system that Kamen designed with engineers at Teletrol Systems, another company he runs. The software is able to monitor energy consumption and production down to the level of an individual LED light bulb. It then choreographs the different energy sources to make sure that consumption never outpaces generation on the island.
The system is a lot like an intelligent home, though it’s on a much grander scale. Tapping through a succession of screens on a display in his basement, Kamen can view a plot of the day’s energy generation. A series of overlapping colored lines represent the various incoming sources: a green line tracks solar output, a blue track shifts in wind speed and the red represents electricity flowing from the backup generator.
Going completely off-grid, with all of the specialized inverters and backup battery storage necessary to achieve this, is certainly not cheap. But if you’re prepared to spend the extra money, then it’s a great way to live on your own private island while enjoying all the comforts of home.
Are you interested in a renewable energy system for your home or business? Contact us today to find out how we can help.
Solar energy is the best option for off-grid homes and businesses. Solar provides a clean and reliable alternative to traditional utilities, saving both money and the environment. With our expertise in the field, we can design a system that is right for you and your property.
Having an off-grid solar system is the perfect choice for island homes, allowing you to enjoy the peace and quiet of your island home with the conveniences of modern life without having to worry about the cost of electricity.