Not ready for renewable energy yet? Let me tell you a story about some folks who are.

In late February, I joyfully skipped out of work for a 2-week long hiatus to Honduras. The plan was to do a bit of scuba diving, get some sun (rare in Oregon), and basically do as little as possible. But under the veneer of ‘vacation’, the trip held a deeper sense of significance for me. When I was 11, I spent 5 months living in Cayos Cochinos (think of the movie The Mosquito Coast), which consists of two main (small) islands surrounded by a collection of cays and reefs. As you may know, the last 14 years have heavily stressed reefs all over the world, and in Honduras, Hurricane Mitch, increasing ocean temperatures, and heavy recreational and fishing use have all left their mark. I was anxious to see how much of the local reef was still intact, and to evaluate the current level of human impact.

The islands have one immediately obvious problem, however, stemming from general population growth and increasingly ubiquitous electrical devices: residents of the Bay Islands have some of the highest electricity prices in the world. The island of Utila claims its electricity prices are second only to Denmark. Several dive shops there told me their greatest single expense was electricity (hundreds of dollars), and locals said it easily doubled the price of rent.

Why is it so expensive? Because diesel generators produce all the electricity on the islands.

My first impression was ‘what a terrible idea’, and that was quickly confirmed. Diesel isn’t cheap these days, and shipping it 18 miles by boat adds a pretty premium. On the big island of Roatan, the situation is compounded by a completely inadequate distribution system, which is so inefficient that electricity production is constantly interrupted. I was told the only consistency in the system was its tendency to short out. The power goes out every day for hours at a time. Obviously, this is a major problem for anyone trying to do business on the island – imagine trying to run an dive shop or even an ice-cream parlor (and yet they exist!).

After spending some time on the islands, I have one simple fact to report: they are primed and ready for renewable energy.

Let me describe to you an average day in the Caribbean (in case you don’t know):

Sunny, with a steady wind developing in the afternoon.”

Now when I say sun I mean SUN. Not the half-assed sunlight in the Pacific NW, but the type of sunlight that makes even the most diehard sunbather look for shade midday. And when I say wind, I mean it blows steadily at 15 mph or more every afternoon (although I must admit I’m not an expert at estimating wind speed).

When I inquired about the dearth of solar technology on the island, the most common answer was: “One guy on the island tried that, but in this environment they fall apart in a couple years. It’s just too expensive to buy a new system every year.”

Wait a minute. Are you telling me that in 2007 we still don’t have a solar system that can stand up to a little humidity and maybe some salt spray? Or has it just not been introduced there?

As far as wind is concerned, it seems that wind generators for small-scale use are just becoming feasible [see this GO post]. Considering current electricity prices, any system or combination of systems would pay off relatively quickly.

Combining wind and solar seems almost too obvious (to a green blogger), but is clearly hindered by lack of capital and unproven technology. I must admit, I don’t know the answer – so I’m asking for your help. What technology is currently available to meet this need? Who makes the products? If you are a producer or a user and think you might have answer, please send me a note. Let me open the phone lines, so to speak.

Next week I’ll cover something I actually know about, the last third of the ‘solution’: biodiesel and straight vegetable oil for generators and dive boats.

Photo Credits: Clayton B. Cornell

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