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Dear <<First Name>>,
Thanks for reading the Island Innovation newsletter! If you were forwarded this email or accessed it through a link, don't forget to subscribe here.
Renewable energy has been on the minds of people across the Caribbean, after the devastating Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico left residents without power for almost a year. After the destruction of the island's power grid, many have called for the construction of a more resilient system using microgrids and community-led initiatives to increase resilience to future storms.
This movement presents an opportunity for Puerto Rico and other parts of the Caribbean, which have traditionally relied on fossil fuels, to move towards greater implementation of renewable energy. This is not only good for the environment but increases energy security and benefits the local economy. Last week in Jamaica, which currently spends US$3.4 billion each year on importing fossil fuels, the Prime Minister declared a goal for 50% renewable energy by 2030.
Islands across the world are at the cutting edge of energy technology, changing their economies to use sustainable energy, push adoption of electric vehicles and upgrade their grids. The high cost of electricity in many islands means that there are financial pressures to change at the earliest possibility. Islands will be just the tip of the spear, as larger economies start to follow suit and face even more pressure to move away from fossil fuels. In the coming decades, will large countries look to islands for insights into how to modernize their own electricity grids?
For an opportunity to discuss issues in this newsletter please join the new Island Innovation Facebook Group. If you can be in Miami next week please join me and other readers at the Caribbean Renewable Energy Forum - the region's biggest sustainable energy event!
Thank you for reading,
James Ellsmoor
P.S. Who knew that newsletters would cost so much to host!? If you enjoyed this content please could you pledge a few dollars each month to help cover the hosting expenses? See the Patreon page for more information.
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Where islands, governments and corporates come together!
The Greening the Islands Observatory has been created to respond to a pressing need: having a systematic and scientific approach to island sustainability across key sectors like energy, water and mobility.
The Observatory responds to this urgent necessity by gathering and compiling information and providing analysis on essential topics: costs, technologies and solutions, laws and regulations, licenses and permits. We are forming a Scientific Island Committee to guide the Observatory activities in terms of the needs and solutions required for islands to respect environmental, landscape, geomorphological and social diversity.
The 2nd Greening the Islands Observatory meeting and 3rd Edition of Greening the Islands Italia Conference will take place on 26-28th November 2018 in Rome, Italy. During the event, there will be training delivered by the Greening the Islands Academy. Click here to learn more.
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Energy Stories
Interesting stories about energy from around the world:
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Solar Head of State: the Jamaica Solar Challenge
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The Jamaica Solar Challenge 2018 was a competition asking Jamaican youth to design a communications project that shows their peers the benefits of renewable energy.
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Other stories worth sharing
A selection of stories relevant to innovation and sustainable development from around the world:
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Is There A Revolution Brewing In Puerto Rico?
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A tropical paradise is racked with bankruptcy then smashed by a killer hurricane. In rides a cavalry of digital evangelists selling hi-tech revolution. Will they save the day?
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Agriculture in St. Lucia
Keithlin Caroo is the founder of Saint Lucian non-profit Helen's Daughters. This NGO has a special focus on rural women’s economic development through improved market access, adaptive agricultural techniques, and capacity-building. Helen’s Daughters was formed in 2016 in a winning proposal for UN Women’s Empower Women Champions for Change Program.
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The Caribbean Should Be Leading the Electric Car Revolution
The islands of the Caribbean are not a monolith, but they do have one thing in common: sunshine, and, aside from Trinidad and Tobago, a general lack of domestic fuel sources. A solar-powered electric car revolution is in its very early stages in parts of the Caribbean, but it makes an awful lot of sense.
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The Battle for Paradise
“We are in a fight for our lives. Hurricanes Irma and María unmasked the colonialism we face in Puerto Rico, and the inequality it fosters, creating a fierce humanitarian crisis. Now we must find a path forward to equality and sustainability, a path driven by communities, not investors. And this book explains, with careful and unbiased reporting, only the efforts of our community activists can answer the paramount question: What type of society do we want to become and who is Puerto Rico for?” —Carmen Yulín Cruz, Mayor of San Juan
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Thank you to everyone who has read, shared, supported and donated to help make this newsletter happen. I cannot thank you enough for your help and encouragement and look forward to seeing where this project will go!
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Feedback is always welcome!
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