Private Island Power Generation
Isolated islands offer a dreamy escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life. But for island owners and managers they pose challenges when it comes to providing a seamless uninterruptible energy supply to guests.
Several well-known private islands use autonomous renewable energy sources to meet most or even all of their power needs. For example, Johnny Depp’s Little Hall’s Pond Cay uses Victron PV systems to provide all of the hotel and restaurant electricity, while the Nukabati Resort in Fiji also relies on solar power. These systems, like all solar energy systems, require a back-up source such as a generator to take over when the sun isn’t shining.
Other options include wind, which requires a turbine to harness the force of the wind, and hybrid solutions that combine solar, heat pumps and biomass to reduce the need for fossil fuels. These systems are often integrated with hot water storage to make full use of excess energy. Peter Island, a luxury resort in the British Virgin Islands, recently pioneered a wind-power project by using two wind turbines to power their island.
In some cases, such as on the Canary Island of El Hierro, the RESponsible Island prize winner, 100 percent sustainable energy from renewables is the norm. The energy self-supporting system on this island uses solar, hydro, wind, and biomass in combination with a sophisticated battery solution.
Aside from the energy production itself, the solution on El Hierro also includes a new desalination plant that provides the resort with freshwater and a rainwater collection system to irrigate the crops.
For some of the smallest and most remote islands, connecting to a central power grid is cost prohibitive or impossible. Luckily, the enterprising island owner has many creative options to create a reliable private energy system.
The most common is a small gasoline generator. These units can generate power for a few hours at a time, and are used around the world by islanders living in a variety of conditions. In this case, the gasoline is shipped in containers from the mainland and dropped off on the island by cargo ships or helicopters.
Another option is to install a hydrogen fuel cell, which can generate up to 3 kW of electricity per hour. These units are also a great way to support islands with high electricity demand or intermittent power generation, such as those that provide tourism services. Aside from its energy generation benefits, this type of system has the potential to produce clean air and reduce carbon emissions. However, fuel cells are still relatively expensive and not widely available, making them an unlikely choice for most islanders. Until this technology becomes more affordable, it will be difficult to achieve the full impact of these self-supporting island projects. In the meantime, many islanders continue to turn to other renewables in order to achieve their energy goals. In addition, they are relying on expertise from national and regional partners to help them find the right energy solutions for their communities. These experts, such as those from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), can answer community questions about a wide range of topics including: