“For People who Love Coral Bay”

St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands

CBCC Presents at 2022 VI Energy Fair

Net Zero Living/Circular Economy

Net Zero Waste/Circular Economy 

Net Zero Waste is a goal that can be achieved through a strategic vision that encourages and guides people and businesses to adopt lifestyles and practices that emulate sustainable natural cycles. This is essential to existence in a world with finite resources.

The objective of a Net Zero Waste approach is a Circular Economy where the source material that is used to create products is recovered and recycled to be used as the source material for the next production cycle. Thus, plastic becomes a bottle, the bottle is used, the bottle is converted back to plastic, and the plastic is used to create another bottle.

This presentation covers the prime features and components of the Zero Waste strategy and provides examples of how it is in use today and how it could potentially be expanded in the future. It provides a framework that shows where various strategies fit with respect to the efficient use of energy, materials, and organics.

Energy

It includes a high level view of the strategies and tactics being used to develop and improve sustainable energy sources including Solar, Wind, Water, and Geothermal.

Materials – Solid Waste Management

It also considers the material life cycle and how it can be extended and improved using Sustainable Materials Management strategies and a collection of  “R Word” tactics: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, and Recycle.

Organics

It explores the way in which Nature has developed its own Sustainable Materials Management process – composting. Composting is a process where organic material is broken down into its natural components which can then be used to fuel the growth of the next round of organic material.

Please contact the Coral Bay Community Council if you want to learn more. We can be reached by Email at:

info@coralbaycommunitycouncil.org or via phone at 340-776-2099.

 

Electric Vehicles in the Virgin Islands

Electric Cars in the Virgin Islands? 

CBCC helped to put together a work session focused on Electric Cars in the Virgin Islands as part of the 2022 Virgin Islands Energy Fair on October 15th at the University of the Virgin Islands in St Thomas. The session focused on how government initiatives, product improvements, and aggressive marketing have helped to dramatically increase the acceptance and use of electric vehicles in the United States. It provided information with respect to the viability of electric vehicles in the Virgin Islands and what steps can be taken to increase adoption to this emerging technology.

The EV Landscape: Types of Electric Vehicles

  • Full Electric
  • Hybrid
  • Other

Characteristics and Challenges

  • Features
  • Power (Can they get up the hills?)
  • Transmission (Will it hold up in the VI?)
  • Breaking (Any difference from gas cars?)
  • Maintenance/Service (What is needed? Does it exist in VI?)
  • Charging options and cost (Normal 110 plug? Charging Stations?)
  • Expected Lifespan (How long will the Battery last?)

Economics

  • Cost of EV?
  • Cost of Fuel vs. Electric?
  • Maintenance
  • Service/Repair?

Government

  • How can/should the VI Government help?
  • Programs available?
  • Required Infrastructure?
  • Legislation?

A copy of the presentation is included. Please contact the CBCC for further information at 340-776-2099.

 

The Internet of Things: Using Technology to Save Energy

Internet of Things: Using Technology to Save Energy

CBCC presented a work session focused on the Internet of Things as part of the 2022 Virgin Islands Energy Fair on October 15th at the University of the Virgin Islands on St Thomas and on October 30th on St Croix. The Internet of things (IoT) describes physical objects (or groups of such objects) with sensors, processing ability, software, and other technologies that connect and exchange data with other devices and systems over the Internet or other communications networks.

In the consumer market, IoT technology is most synonymous with products pertaining to the concept of the “smart home”, including devices and appliances such as lighting fixtures, thermostats, home security systems, cameras, and other home appliances that can be controlled via devices such as smartphones and smart speakers.

This session describes how the technology can save energy and money by turning devices off and on at appropriate times and based on appropriate triggers (lights go on at night, AC goes on at 75 degrees), and how it can also monitor the amount of power that is consumed by individual devices and when they are used.  

It describes how effective it can be when combined with Big Data and Analytics and how the data can be used to determine when appliances lose efficiency, require maintenance, and are at risk for breakdown.

This session simplifies the concepts behind this leading-edge technology and explains how businesses and individuals can use it to improve the way they use energy. The following topics are considered:

  • What is IoT technology?
  • How does it work? What can it do?
  • How do you set it up?
  • How much does it cost?
  • How does it work with Big Data and Analytics?
  • What are the benefits and challenges?
  • Guidelines and regulatory frameworks especially in the areas of privacy and security.