Aruba aims at 100% renewable energy The Caribbean island of Aruba doesnt want to be known only for its powdery white sand and crystal clear water; it also wants to set the model for a low-carbon, sustainable and prosperous economy for all island nations. At the U.N. Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro last year, Prime Minister Mike Eman made the ambitious commitment to transition Aruba to 100 percent renewable energy by 2020. This goal is part of a larger smart growth plan for the island that also includes increasing housing choices, reducing traffic congestion, improving public health and diversifying economically. To embark on this project, Aruba partnered with the Carbon War Room (CWR), an organization that seeks to tackle climate change though market-driven solutions. In a new report, CWR created a road map outlining opportunities for Aruba to transform its energy sector from one that is dependent on fossil fuels to one that is fundamentally renewable. The pathway suggests whats required is a systematic approach that finds the best combination of energy efficiency as well as renewable energy, storage, demand response and smart grid applications, as well as the interim use of things like biofuels to get to a high penetration, said Maya Doolub, operation leader for CWRs Smart Island Economies program. One of the projects already underway is a microgrid that will serve a neighborhood of 20 homes. The small-scale grid system will test smart metering technologies and possible demand response applications, as well as small wind turbines, rooftop solar arrays and local energy storage. According to CWR, theres an untapped opportunity to develop similar microgrid projects on a commercial level at Arubas cruise ship or cargo port. Ultimately, Arubas microgrid model could be scaled up and exported to other island nations. I think that piece is very important, Doolub said. The lessons that come out of Arubas microgrid operations will be valued at all levels of the country, and its something youd look to replicate across all islands in the Caribbean and beyond, and not just at the local level. At the U.N. sustainability conference, CWR founder Sir Richard Branson joked that his private island would beat Aruba to the 100 percent renewable goal. The business magnates property in the British Virgin Islands, Necker Island, is much smaller than Aruba and doesnt have the same societal complexities that a country does, but in trying to reach Bransons goal, it could spearhead solutions that benefit Aruba and other nations. Earlier this year, CWR held a request for proposals for the provision of renewable energy and energy services on Necker Island. Winning bids will be announced before the end of the year, and shovels should be in the ground by spring, Doolub said. We recognize that islands on their own arent necessarily going to result in gigaton-scale carbon reductions, but, actually, there is an economic and environmental and social benefit to this transition [to renewable energy], she said. So for us, islands are the perfect place to demonstrate low-carbon pathways in terms of showcasing to the rest of the world why and how this works. -- Julia Pyper
Posted on: Wed, 23 Oct 2013 18:55:42 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015