Pilot Projects

Photo of a row of six solar panels attached to a wooden frame that stands a few feet above a grassy field and in front of a large green bush. Blue ocean, under a pale blue sky filled with wispy white clouds, can be seen in the background.

Solar cells, also called photovoltaics, convert sunlight directly into electricity. Here, a set of solar panels located on an island provide a source of renewable energy.

Through pilot projects, the international partnership for Energy Development in Island Nations (EDIN) takes the first step in helping islands develop and deploy clean and efficient energy technologies.

On April 9, 2009, EDIN announced three new pilot projects:

  • U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI)
  • Iceland and Dominica Collaboration
  • Geothermal Potential in the Pacific

U.S. Virgin Islands

The USVI pilot project will build upon the experience the United States has gained through its participation in the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative (HCEI), which aims to meet 70 percent of the state's energy needs with clean energy sources by 2030. Like HCEI, the USVI effort will focus on achieving specific and measurable clean energy targets by developing indigenous renewable energy resources and improving energy efficiency. Currently, the U.S. territory's residential islands, comprising St. Croix, St. John, St. Thomas, and Water Island, are 100% dependent on fossil fuels for electricity and transportation. The USVI pilot will address technology, policy, and financing to support the territory's commitment to fundamentally changing the way it uses energy.

Iceland and Dominica Collaboration

Building on Iceland's proven model of transition from a fossil fuel dependent economy to a clean energy economy, the Iceland and Dominica Collaboration will support the capacity-building efforts of the Commonwealth of Dominica. Dominica has significant geothermal resources, and Iceland will lend its longstanding technical and legal expertise in developing this sustainable energy source to help Dominica address the economic, social, and environmental crises it faces.

When the oil crisis struck Iceland in 1973 and 1979, it revamped its energy policy, deemphasizing oil and turning to domestic energy resources using hydropower and geothermal. Today Iceland is a world leader in the use of renewable energy, meeting 81% of its primary energy needs and generating 99.9% of its electricity through renewable sources. A highlight of this pilot project will be geothermal training provided to energy institutions in Dominica through the United Nations University Geothermal Training Programme (UNU-GTP) in Iceland and short courses held on various continents.

Geothermal Potential in the Pacific

Sponsored by the New Zealand Ministries of Economic Development; Research, Science and Technology; and Foreign Affairs and Trade, this pilot project will assess the potential for geothermal electricity generation in a number of Pacific island nations, including U.S. territories. Geothermal resources have the potential to provide base load electricity at a fraction of the cost of diesel generation, which serves as the main source of electricity for many Pacific islands. Central to this effort is a study of 20 island nations conducted by GNS Science, New Zealand's leading earth systems research institute. The report, released in June 2009, was based on an initial literature review of 20 Pacific island nations and a subsequent, more detailed review of the following:

  • Papua New Guinea
  • Vanuatu
  • Samoa
  • Tonga
  • Northern Marianas Islands

In assessing these countries' geothermal potential, GNS Science considered a number of factors, including geological setting, recent or active volcanism, presence of geothermal features and their flow rates, and interpretation of chemical geothermometry from thermal features. The data presented in the report will be essential to evaluating the suitability of geothermal to the islands' existing grid infrastructures. For details, read the full report. Download Adobe Reader.

The Value of Pilot Projects

These pilot projects are foundational to EDIN's achieving its goals because

  • They allow for quick action and testing of proposed EDIN methodologies.
  • They establish procedures that can be replicated across other projects.
  • They provide valuable lessons learned.

For more information, read the full press release on EDIN's pilot projects.