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Going Green Can Save Businesses Big Bucks in the USVI | December 26, 2011
By Bill Kossler
While utility bills in the territory are crushing, companies and institutions can save millions while helping the environment, not only by systematically conserving and being efficient, but by generating power locally, energy consultant Larry Eighmy told Rotarians at a breakfast meeting at Gertrude’s last week.
Eighmy is a founder, part owner and manager of The Stone House Group, a firm that provides technical, facilities and sustainability consulting to not-for profit and business clients. Typical services include owner’s representation for capital projects and operations, commissioning, utility master planning, and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) sustainable building standards support and administration. While working primarily in Pennsylvania, in the last few years, Eighmy has compiled a growing list of V.I. clients, including the Antilles School on St. Thomas and Gov. Juan F. Luis Hospital on St. Croix.
While high utility costs are a huge burden locally, they also, in a backhanded way, make it easier to invest in alternatives like solar, because the high utility rates mean expensive investments into solar panels and solar hot water heaters will pay for themselves more quickly, he said. Also, in a high-cost environment, such as in the Virgin Islands, larger institutions can potentially save big money by generating power locally, whether by wind, solar, or high-quality diesel generators.
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