Virgin Islands

In July 2009, U.S. Virgin Islands enacted legislation Act 7075. This legislation requires all new developments, and substantial building modifications, must be installed with energy efficient solar water heaters to provide at least 70% of the building's water heating needs. This is for all building types: residential, commercial, and governmental.

The Department of Planning and Natural Resources may provide a waiver if a significant cost burden is shown. The Department will verify compliance with this requirement at the time development, construction and/or building permits are reviewed.

In February 2007, the U.S. Virgin Islands Public Services Commission approved a limited net-metering program for residential and commercial photovoltaic (PV), wind-energy or other renewable energy system up to 10 kilowatts (kW) in capacity. In July 2009, the legislature passed Act 7075 that raised the capacity limits to 20 kW for residential systems, 100 kW for commercial systems, and 500 kW for public (which includes government, schools, hospitals).

The aggregate capacity limit of all net-metered systems is five megawatts (MW) on St. Croix, and 10 MW on St. Thomas, St. John, Water Island and other territorial islands. These limits are equal to 10% of the peak load of the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority’s (VIWAPA) electric system. VIWAPA charges a $25 application fee.

Any net excess generation (NEG) produced by a customer is credited at the utility’s full retail rate and carried forward to the customer's next monthly bill. At the end of a 12-month period, any remaining NEG is granted to the utility.

As for interconnection, all installations must comply with the IEEE 1547 standard, the UL 1741 standard, the National Electric Code, and the Uniform Building Code. The utility will furnish, install, own and maintain all metering equipment, including a meter capable of measuring customer generation. An external disconnect switch is required at the customer's expense, and customers must indemnify the utility from and against liability for loss and damage.

Refer to VIWAPA's Net Metering Web Site for more information.

In July 2009, the Virgin Islands passed Act 7075. Among other provisions, the legislation establishes that the "peak demanded generating capacity" of the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority* must be from renewables according to the following schedule:

• 20% by January 1, 2015
• 25% by January 1, 2020
• 30% by January 1, 2025

It further establishes that a "majority" of this generating capacity must come from renewables or alternative technologies beyond 2025. Joint rulemaking is to be undertaken by the Virgin Islands Energy Office and the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority, although the rules are not yet available (as of February 2011). All of the implementation details of the standard will be developed as a result of the rulemaking.

It should be noted that in early 2010, the US Virgin Islands signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Department of Energy (Office of Minority Economic Impact) and the US Department of Interior (Insular Affairs) to further develop the US Virgin Islands clean energy strategies. The goal set within that Memorandum of Understanding was 60% of the USVI's energy needs would be met by renewables by the year 2025. The USVI is also part of the Energy Development in Island Nations (EDIN) international partnership.


*The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority is an autonomous entity within the Government of U.S. Virgin Islands. This public utility provides electricity to St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix, Water Island, and Hassel Island.

In the U.S. Virgin Islands, the owner of a solar or wind-energy system is permitted to negotiate for assurance of continued access to the system’s energy source. "Solar or wind-energy system" is defined as "any system that converts, stores, collects, protects or distributes the kinetic energy of the sun or wind into mechanical, chemical or electrical energy to provide power generation for the heating of water, the heating and cooling of buildings or other structures, and other similar purposes."

Furthermore, any covenant, condition or restriction contained in any deed, contract, mortgage, security instrument or other instrument pertaining to a conveyance, sale or transfer of real property or interest may not prohibit or unreasonably limit the installation or use of a solar or wind-energy system. A covenant, condition or restriction is considered "unreasonable" if it significantly increases the cost and expense of the solar or wind-energy system to its owner or user, or significantly decreases its efficiency, or otherwise effectively discourages the installation or use of a system.

The height of small wind turbines are determined by regulations for small wind energy system and the height of utility scale wind turbines are restricted on to the extent that they are regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).