Solar Energy, St. Vincent
In 2015, the Gaia-Movement Trust Living Earth Green World Action provided an interest free loan to the institution Richmond Vale Academy in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The loan was used to invest in a solar energy system that enables the institution to become independent of the public power grid on the island and demonstrate the benefits of carbon-neutral energy. The loan repayment is done with a monthly amount corresponding to the current monthly energy bill of the institution with the result that the investment is repaid after six years.
Due to various technical issues, it took some time before the power system was up and running, but at the end of 2016, the institution started producing renewable electricity covering their needs.
Then in mid 2017, the inverter was destroyed during a thunderstorm, and the institution applied to our association for funding to replace this. Funding for this new inverter was granted and it is now in place. As of June 2018, the system has been running for nearly two months only on solar energy and batteries with no use of the public grid. The school is thus enjoying clean energy, free of carbon emissions.
Open or download a presentation about how the people at Richmond Vale Academy work with renewable energy – Changing-the-World HiRes (11MB). In low resolution (0.5 MB), Changing-the-World LoRes
Watch the Youtube movie about Richmond Vale Academy working to become climate compliant – Making RVA Climate Compliant
In June 2018, the association decided to transform the repayment of the outstanding loan for solar energy from Richmond Vale Academy into a donation that the institution can use for environmental purposes on St. Vincent.
The Gaia-Movement 