The storms of 2017 exacerbated vulnerabilities in an energy system already in crisis. The Resilient Energy Initiative for low- and moderate-income homes on St. John presents an opportunity to address energy equity and sustainability issues faced by the community. Partnering with a local business, we have installed 32 full solar panel systems since 2025. By implementing this project, we can create a path to a cleaner and more resilient St. John, benefiting both residents and the environment.
The USVI's energy utility relies on large, outdated generators that regularly fail, taking down the entire grid. Furthermore, the cost burden of this expensive, deteriorating infrastructure falls largely on the territory's low and middle income families. At residential rates of 48/kWh, electricity rates in the USVI are three times the US average and among the highest in the Caribbean.
Energy Security: Residents are protected from systemic outages, which have occurred more than 25 times in the past year alone. Economic Relief: By transitioning to solar, these LMI households are insulated from electricity rates that are 48/kWh-three times the U.S. average. Community Sustainability: This work contributes to the overall resilience and preparedness of St. John by reducing the cost burden on high-risk populations and developing a decentralized, renewable energy infrastructure.
This project positively impacts household energy & disaster security, immediate household financial relief, economic & workforce engagement, energy equity and grid stabilization, decarbonization and climate resilience, and can be used as a replicable model for other island or remote communities.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
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