The Government of Saint Lucia is partnering with Solar Head of State to install solar panels on the public residence of the Governor-General, Government House, in September 2016. This is part of the Caribbean island’s target to generate 35% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020, through leveraging of geothermal, wind and solar resources. The plan will help to reduce energy costs for citizens of Saint Lucia which, like most island nations, suffers from astronomically high electricity costs that hinder economic development.
As a small island developing state, Saint Lucia is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Although the island only emits 0.0015% of global carbon emissions, it is at the forefront of increasingly more extreme weather events, that threaten the lives and livelihoods of citizens. The Government of Saint Lucia have been at the forefront of the call for decarbonization of the global economy, and believe if they are to show moral leadership on this front then they must be a forward-thinking role model.
Through this installation Saint Lucia demonstrates its commitment to transition away from harmful fossil based energy infrastructure and paves the way for new international climate leadership. The project not only catalyzes the development of favorable renewable energy policy but provides sustainable jobs for the local economy. The solar panels will save the government thousands of dollars in energy expenditures throughout the system's lifetime and represent the goal of creating a island exclusively powered by clean technology.
Solar Head of State and its partners Free Island Energy and Noah Energy will install a rooftop grid-connected solar photovoltaic system using panels donated by Trina Solar and inverters donated by Enphase Energy. Project support was received from Elms Consulting, a London-based strategic consulting firm working to accelerate sustainable development in island nations. Additional financial support was received from Sungevity and the California Clean Energy Fund, without whom this project would not be possible.
