Sir Richard Branson is making Necker Island green
Branson has been perhaps the region’s most high-profile advocate for green energy, working with the Carbon War Room and the Rocky Mountain Institute to help regional stakeholders identify the region’s optimal energy future, said the article which appeared on the website on October 13, 2015.
It said that last year, the British billionaire convened a high-level regional conference on Necker that launched the “Ten Island Challenge,” which called for massive investment in green energy development in signatory countries, which ranged from Aruba to Colombia.
“But his latest efforts have been close to home on Necker,” the article stated.
According to the article, Branson has revealed a project that switched on a solar energy system on Necker Island, a project Branson says should provide diesel savings of more than 75 percent.
That project consisted of 1232 photovoltaic solar panels. But Branson isn’t finished. Now he has plans for wind turbines and batteries slated to come on line on Necker Island in November.
“We’re aiming to turn Necker into one of the most renewably-powered islands in the world,” he wrote.
“We understand that we’re in a unique position, but so is the Caribbean as a whole. We can all benefit from the positive environmental, social and economic impacts of sustainability,” he said. “The small islands of the Caribbean may be highly vulnerable to climate change risks, but they have wonderful potential to be global leaders in climate change action,” he wrote, according to the article.
Not looking to promote it until completed
This news site reached out via email to Necker Island for a comment on the project and how it is such an initiative could at a later stage benefit the entire territory. In response, Public Relations Executive for Virgin Limited Edition George Herdman said, “Thank you for your email and interest in Necker Island's green initiatives. As I’m sure you are aware this exciting project is very much on-going and as a result of this, we won’t be looking to promote our efforts until completion. When we are at this stage we’d be more than happy to pick up this conversation with you to discuss editorial opportunities between Necker Island and Virgin Islands News Online.”
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20 Responses to “Sir Richard Branson is making Necker Island green”
That would be true - "IF" our government would get with the programme and allow us to go ahead and use solar energy! Unlike Mr. Branson who is in his own little world out on Necker Island, the rest of us are stuck using government generated power.
For all the travel Dr. Pickering has done, and all the education regarding renewable energy he has supposedly gained, I see very little advancement in the BVI when it comes to reducing our carbon footprint. That pleasure seems to be reserved for the government alone. I am thoroughly disappointed with our lack of progress and see absolutely no benefit to date to all the world travels.
It seems only the very wealthy, that can afford to buy their own islands, are permitted to do the right thing.