Private Island Power Generation
Isolated islands may be the stuff of dreams for many vacationers, but for island owners and operators they are also a source of challenges that come with offering guests a seamless and uninterruptible energy supply. This is particularly true when the island is not connected to a central power grid, which often means burning fossil fuels to generate electricity and create potable water.
The good news is that with the right technology and support, private island resorts can achieve energy and water self-sufficiency in ways that improve their guest experience and show a commitment to sustainability practices. The challenge is how to do so without incurring the prohibitive costs associated with importing and shipping in traditional fossil fuels, as well as having to pay for backup generators that consume large amounts of expensive diesel or oil.
The answer is to harness renewable energy sources to create an integrated energy solution for the island that can be easily controlled and monitored by a smart system like GEMS. RECO’s new 10 MW solar park and its existing propane-fueled plants are all seamlessly integrated into the GEMS portfolio, which will enable it to optimally dispatch all of the island’s resources, including the batteries, south solar park, and generators as necessary.
A typical solar energy system on a private island will consist of a series of flat panels, called photovoltaic cells, that capture a percentage (5-15%) of the sun’s energy and convert it into electrical energy. The excess energy is captured and stored in a battery that can be recharged at night or during cloudy weather, and a back-up source such as a generator provides electricity when the solar arrays cannot keep up with demand.
At Little Hall’s Pond Cay, the private island owned by Johnny Depp, a Victron PV systems supplies solar energy for almost all of the hotel and restaurant electricity. Similarly, the Nukabati Resort in Fiji uses a combination of solar and wind to provide most of its energy needs.
Other options for island power include wind, which requires a turbine to harness the force of the wind to produce electricity, and hybrid solutions that combine solar, heat pumps and biomass to reduce the need for fossil fuels. These systems are often combined with hot water storage, which takes advantage of excess energy to create a more even and cost-effective system.
As the world’s leading provider of smart energy management and control systems, Wartsila is proud to be working with island partners to help them implement these renewables-based island power systems. These systems are helping to empower island governments, utilities, and local communities to achieve clean energy independence and realize a climate-resilient future for all. Our work with island partners is made possible through the generous support of donors and development organizations. The work is also enabled by a strong private sector, as demonstrated by the success of projects such as those at Little Hall’s Pond Cay and Nukabati.