The Winds of Change

by Kelly O'Brien

Though finding the upside of today's oil prices may seem like a tall order, these constant fuel hikes may actually be the bearers of good news for alternative energies. Although the technology has been around for years, alternative power sources have long been kept from the mainstream market by the fact that they came at a higher cost than conventional electricity. Now, with our WAPA bills reaching record highs, alternative energies are finally financially competitive.

Although there has certainly been a spike in interest for all energy alternatives, wind power, in particular seems to have captured the imagination of St. Johnians. It seems that for every one person that's putting in a turbine, there are half a dozen others who are seriously considering it. And make no mistake, going with wind takes very serious consideration. But there are ample benefits that stand to make the research and consideration well worthwhile.

For one thing, any electricity you generate with a wind turbine is energy you don't have to buy from WAPA. Beth Jones, development director at the Gifft Hill School, says that their plans for installing a wind turbine would save the school well over $10,000 a year, making wind a pretty obvious choice for them.

"It doesn't make any sense for us not to be using a resource that's already there and sustainable," she says.

Even more than that, a recent energy bill makes it possible for some wind turbine users to sell excess energy back to WAPA at the same rate they sell it to us. This is called net metering and uses a bidirectional meter to keep track of not only how much power we draw from the grid, but also how much we put back in.

Miles Stair, president of Holiday Homes, just had his bidirectional meter installed at the beginning of this month. He is the first person on St. John to get one. "It's surprising that more people haven't shown interest in [net metering]," he says. Although his meter is hooked up to a photo-voltaic system, the same setup can be used for certain wind turbine systems.

Wind turbines are also gaining popularity because of their relative versatility. Turbines come in many different sizes and configurations, making it easy for homeowners to find a system that fits in with their energy goals. Some of the bigger systems are capable of generating enough power to make a house or business completely off the grid, while others are designed to simply supplement a pre-existing system.

Wind turbines also play well with others. Doug White, an architect on St. Thomas, says that the combination of solar and wind power can be very effective.

"If you want to be totally energy independent, then I think that's the combination that makes most sense," he says.

Wind turbine systems can also be extremely economical, he says. According to White, for a little more than $10,000 you can get a 2 kW turbine shipped and ready to install. If placed right, such a tower could shave anywhere from $150 to $330 off your monthly electric bill.

Now, those are some very attractive numbers, and have been enough for many people on the islands to take the plunge and order a turbine online. While the do-it-yourself approach certainly holds some appeal, White cautions against it. Wind power, though it has great potential, is still getting off the ground in terms of residential applications. White says that much of what's available on the market right now is still experimental and untested and stresses that before making a decision, extensive research is vital!

The first and most important consideration is whether your property has a suitable location for a tower. Now, this may seem pretty straightforward - ‘it's windy here, therefore a wind turbine would be good' - but between our complicated island topography and DPNR siting regulations, it's a very complex evaluation.

That said, White says that your instincts can still be a pretty good indicator of whether your site is a good candidate or not. But a gut feeling won't ensure that your investment is sound. That's why companies like Sustainable Systems & Design International are around.

Onaje Jackson, president of SSDI, is one of the leading experts on wind power in the Virgin Islands. His company not only provides site assessments for business- and homeowners, but they were also responsible for assessing the wind power potential for the Virgin Islands as a whole. From 2004-2006, at the behest of the Virgin Islands Energy Office, SSDI did a comprehensive study of how much of the territory could potentially take advantage of wind power systems. Unfortunately, the results were not as promising as they could have been. Jackson says that on a scale of one to five - five being very strong potential and one being very weak - the Virgin Islands are about a two. One of the biggest reasons for this, especially here on St. John, is the forest.

Because of the dense forest canopy that covers the bulk of the island, it's very difficult to get a turbine up where the wind blows consistently without putting in a gigantic tower. In their tests, their equipment had to be 120 feet up before it was clear of the effects of the canopy. "The canopy effect is very significant," Jackson says.

In addition to assessing whether your site has reliable access to the wind resource, there is also the question of space. Not only does DPNR require you to have your tower 50 feet away from all sides of the property line, but you must also have the space necessary to take down the tower during the stormy season with relatively little trouble. Jackson says you should expect to take a tower down 4-5 times a month during hurricane season.

After you've determined whether your property is a good candidate for wind power, you can move on to the next phases of research. Jackson and White both stress the importance of doing thorough research, both on regulations and permits as well as manufacturers and installation companies.

"The Energy Office is a very good resource," says Jackson. "They've been extremely responsive to what works and what doesn't work." WAPA also has a complete packet of information available on the net metering program that Stair says is extremely helpful. Jackson also recommends consulting with one of the green building groups that are here on the islands, including the Virgin Islands Renewable Energy Alliance and the Island Green Builders Association.

The final step is, of course, to choose a turbine. The internet is a great research tool, but Jackson warns against the dangers of simply choosing a manufacturer based solely on online research. "Talk to a company that's been here for several years," he says, that way they'll be knowledgeable about local rules and regulations surrounding wind power.

Although wind power may only be right for a small percentage of islanders at the moment, that may not always be the case. Wind turbine technology has made significant advances in the past several years, and as the price of traditional fuel continues to climb and energy alternatives become increasingly necessary, there's no telling where the technology will be five years from now. One thing's for sure, there's certainly change in the winds.

August 14, 2008