Sustainable Islands

Graduate Student Researcher: Rebekah Shirley  

The Sustainable Islands Group at RAEL is involved in understanding the scope for renewable energy and energy efficiency in the Small Island Developing State (SIDS) context. We are involved in a number of projects that involve feasibility analysis, resource optimization and energy system modelling. We conduct assessments and build decision support tools for policy makers and individuals - to support the build out of sustainable, low carbon island economies. Some of the projects we work on are listed below:

• Professor Kammen and graduate student Rebekah Shirley recently published an article on the history of energy sector development in the Caribbean. The paper also looks at a number of current renewable energy projects in the region, finding them to be cost effective and insightful for future renewable penetration in the Caribbean. 

Paper published in Energy Policy, February 22, 2013

• St. Thomas, USVI., Professor Kammen and graduate student Rebekah Shirley were invited to participate in the NREL Energy Development in Island Nations Virgin Islands initiative, launched in St. Thomas in 2010. Since then they have collaborated with NREL and various agencies in the territory to develop a household carbon calculator and green jobs estimator used as tools in public education and decision making: 

Paper published in Ecological Economics, May 28, 2012

Article in the Virgin Islands Daily News, June 17, 2010

Online tool: A Household Carbon Calculator for the USVI

Published Report: Estimating the Impact of Renewable Energy on Caribbean Islands' Job Sector 

• Carriacou and Petite Martinique, Grenada., RAEL collaborated with the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) on a road map for sustainable economic growth in Grenada. Professor Kammen and graduate student Rebekah Shirley prepared a chapter on green job potential while Dan Prull prepared a chapter on future energy options. The report was published for the Rio +20 Summit.

UN DESA Article 

2012 Road Map on Building a Green Economy for Grenada

• Professor Kammen and graduate student Rebekah Shirley collaborated with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to perform a survey of the status of Energy Policy in various Caribbean Islands. 

Energy Policy and Sector Analysis in the Caribbean, 2010 - 2011

• Sabah, Malaysia., Professor Kammen along with students Tyler McNish and Benjamin Gutierrez conducted an energy resource study commissioned by environmental advocacy groups in Malaysia to explore viable energy alternatives to a new coal plant. This research was pivotal in helping to halt federal coal expansion plans. Read all about the struggle and the study here: 

Replacing Coal with Renewables in Malaysia

• Necker Island, BVI., Professor Kammen and former graduate student Dan Prull were contracted by Richard Branson to design a low carbon microgrid system for his resort island in the Atlantic, which is currently being implemented. See a news article from the New Yorker and a few of D. Prull's presentations on this and other projects here: 

Article in the New Yorker, May 14, 2007

Necker Island Work

Tetiaroa Energy Storage Systems 

Diesel Battery Control Option

• Other Projects we are working on: 

Exploring the potential for Deep Ocean Water Technology on Tetiaroa, French Polynesia. We've teamed up with the UC Berkeley Gump Station, Moorea and Pacific Beach Combers for this research project. [Report pending]