Sir Richard Branson To Power Necker Island With Renewables

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Originally published on 1Sun4All.

You may know of Sir Richard Branson — he’s the founder and chairman of Virgin Group, a British business tycoon, and a renowned entrepreneur. He has engaged in many aviation adventures, which include his hot air balloon “Virgin Atlantic Flyer” crossing the Atlantic in 1987. A new venture of his will hopefully offer a revolutionary, cheaper fuel for automobiles and, in the near future, aircraft. He is also a patron of the Solar Impulse, a solar airplane, whose team will attempt to circumnavigate the globe in 2015. His latest clean energy project is switching Necker, his private island home “and favorite hideaway” in the British Virgin Islands to renewable power. A news release from partner NRG Energy follows (images added).

Virgin Limited Edition Signs Deal with NRG Energy to Power Necker Island with a Renewable Energy-Driven Micro-grid Solution

Necker Island | Photo credit: russell davies | Flickr | Photoshopped

NRG Energy reports that the company will develop a renewables-driven micro-grid for the entire island, supplying high quality: reliable electricity powered at least 75% by an integrated array of solar, wind and energy storage technologies.

Islanded Micro-grid Will Generate Reliable, High-Quality Electricity Under Cutting Edge Diesel Reduction Agreement that Dramatically Reduces Fuel Usage

Sir Richard Branson | Photo credit: dtiet | Flickr | Cropped

Sir Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin Group:

The potential for more renewable energy across the world is huge especially in places like the Caribbean, where islands offer an excellent test bed to demonstrate and scale innovative, clean energy solutions. While small compared to island nations, Necker is an ideal ‘guinea pig’ for the Carbon War Room’s Ten Island Challenge and will be able to show the potential of ‘state-of-the-art’ technologies in renewable energy.

The agreement was signed and announced on February 4, 2014 at the “Creating Climate Wealth Summit,” by Sir Richard Branson, Founder of the Virgin Group, and NRG CEO David Crane.

The Creating Climate Wealth Summit was hosted by the Carbon War Room, in partnership with Rocky Mountain Institute, as part of the Ten Island Renewable Challenge. The Necker Island Project represents “Demo Island” of the Challenge that seeks to help island nations flip off fossil fuels.

Necker Island | Photo credit: razorfrog | Flickr | Photoshopped

By deploying highly distributed and locally automated and controlled installations, many island nations of the Caribbean can reduce and ultimately eliminate their dependence on fossil fuels for electricity. The high cost of imported fossil fuels across these islands creates an opportunity to deliver clean energy solutions today at a much lower cost, without subsidies and with immense economic and environmental benefit to the people of the Caribbean.

Sir Richard Branson:

The potential for more renewable energy across the world is huge especially in places like the Caribbean, where islands offer an excellent test bed to demonstrate and scale innovative, clean energy solutions. While small compared to island nations, Necker is an ideal ‘guinea pig’ for the Carbon War Room’s Ten Island Challenge and will be able to show the potential of ‘state-of-the-art’ technologies in renewable energy.

About Carbon War Room

The Carbon War Room is a global nonprofit, founded by Sir Richard Branson and a team of like-minded entrepreneurs, that accelerates the adoption of business solutions that reduce carbon emissions at gigaton scale and advance the low-carbon economy. The organization focuses on solutions that can be realized using proven technologies under current policy landscapes. For more information contact press@carbonwarroom.com.

Author’s note: For those of you who don’t remember, Princess Diana visited and stayed on Necker Island many times during her life — it was reported to be one of her favorite places to holiday.