April 22, 2002 – Their reasons vary for attending the week-long Solar Energy Workshop that began Monday at Maho Bay Camps, but the half-dozen participants all expect to go home with some useful knowledge.
"When my work permit expires, I'm looking to set up alternative energy systems in remote areas," Tortola resident Don Mitchell said.
Now working as an electrician and living aboard a solar-powered boat with his family, he said he wants to put together what he already knows with what he'll learn at the workshop.
St. Thomas resident Glen Williams is in the midst of building a house. He wants to explore "living off the grid," alternative energy parlance for using resources like the sun and the wind rather than hooking up to the Water and Power Authority for energy.
And Jared Hill, Maho's energy guru, wants to increase his skills so he can better care for the ecologically oriented resort's equipment. "And I want to build a cabin off the grid somewhere," he said.
They all have come to the right place. The five-day workshop explores basic solar design and includes the hands-on construction of a solar energy system for Maho Bay. The eco-resort already uses solar power for much of its energy and that of the adjacent Harmony Resort and its Concordia Eco-tents.
"This is like a pilgrimage, coming to Maho Bay," Johnny Weiss said. He and his colleague Jay Paltz are the instructors for the Solar Energy International-sponsored workshop. Weiss is the founder of the Carbondale, Colorado-based company that holds workshops around the country to teach people the how-to's of alternative energy.
Weiss had lots of tips Monday for people interested in exploring solar power. He said Home Power, a consumer-oriented alternative-energy magazine, is the best publication of its kind — and that its advertisers sell the best equipment in their fields. "These people are doing well enough to advertise," he joked.
Although the St. John workshop attracted a small turnout, Weiss said, similar workshops elsewhere are filled, thanks to increased awareness of the need to incorporate alternative energy methods into home design.
He said the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the current unrest in the Middle East, which threatens the supply of oil, plus rising costs of fuel have made people more interested in alternative energy sources.
Weiss urged the workshop participants to take advantage of the V.I. Energy Office rebate program when purchasing supplies for their solar systems. "You have a better rebate program than the state of California," he said, referring to a state that has been at the forefront of alternative energy development.
The current Energy Office rebate program runs through July 31. The rebate list starts with solar hot water heaters. The rebate is $1,000 for those with a capacity of 66 to 120 gallons, $700 for those holding 40 to 65 gallons and $500 for those with a capacity of 39 gallons and less. Photovoltaic panels have a rebate of $5 per watt, with a limit of 20.
Buyers get 15 percent off the retail cost of trace inverters purchased in conjunction with solar panels or wind turbine generators. Wind turbine generators have a 20 percent rebate on the retail cost. Energy-efficient lights, also called compact fluorescents, have a rebate of $10 each bulb with a coupon. Buyers of timers for electric hot-water heaters receive a rebate of $10 with a coupon. Coupons are available from and are redeemed by the dealers.
Purchases must be made at approved dealers. The St. Croix list includes Fischer Industries, Quality Electric and West Indies Solair. St. Thomas approved dealers are Altona Trading and Sales, Pools R Weeeeee, Silent Power, Supply Resources, Virgin Energies and West Indies Windsurfing.
For more information, visit the Solar Energy International web site or call the V.I. Energy Office at 714-2815.
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