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<\/p>\nNovember 13, 2025<\/p>\n
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The UVI Research and Technology Park (UVI RTPark) marked a milestone today with the commissioning of the UVI RTPark Solar Farm & Teaching Array and the hosting of the Critical Resilience Forum: Safeguarding Communities Through Energy, Connectivity & Security, co-hosted with I3PG LLC, a client within the UVI RTPark\u2019s technology portfolio.<\/p>\n
Held at the RTPark\u2019s 64 West Center headquarters on the University of the Virgin Islands\u2019 Albert A. Sheen Campus, both events showcased how collaboration between government, academia, and private industry can drive innovation, expand educational opportunity, and prepare Virgin Islanders for the careers of the future.<\/p>\n
A FEMA 406 Mitigation grant funded the 423-kilowatt ground-mounted solar array, and the UVI Caribbean Green Technology Center funded and will manage a companion 4-kilowatt teaching array. These systems are the first of their kind in the Virgin Islands and represent a new model for pairing renewable infrastructure with academic and workforce development. Developed under the UVI RTPark SPARK Initiative (Sustainable Practices Advancement and Renewable Knowledge), the project advances the UVI RTPark\u2019s goal of integrating sustainable technology with education and applied learning. The system now fully powers the 64 West Center building\u2014home to the UVI RTPark headquarters and UVI laboratories\u2014while serving as a hands-on training site for students in UVI\u2019s Associate of Applied Science in Renewable Energy Technology program. The project also supports UVI\u2019s Energy Management Strategy, which aims to achieve a 60 percent reduction in fossil fuel use across University facilities.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis project reflects the very best of what collaboration can achieve,\u201d said Eric Sonnier, Executive Director of the UVI RTPark. \u201cThe Solar Farm & Teaching Array blends technology, education, and vision\u2014strengthening the University\u2019s capacity to offer applied learning and build pathways into high-growth industries. It\u2019s a powerful example of how innovative partnerships can deliver lasting impact for the Virgin Islands.\u201d<\/p>\n
The ceremony featured remarks from The Honorable Albert Bryan Jr., Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands; Dr. Safiya George, President of the University of the Virgin Islands; Ian Tomlinson, Chairman of the UVI RTPark Board; and Eric Sonnier, Executive Director of the UVI RTPark. Additional remarks were delivered by Adrienne Williams-Octalien, Director of the Office of Disaster Recovery; Kyle Fleming, Director of the Virgin Islands Energy Office; Dr. Greg Guannel, Director of the Caribbean Green Technology Center; and Hugo Hodge, President of Volt Energy. Speakers highlighted that the project demonstrates how energy investment, education, and research can intersect to advance resilience, sustainability, and long-term economic opportunity for the Territory.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery once in a while, I get a glimpse of the future of the Virgin Islands, and today is one of those days. When you look at the leadership we have here, the young people stepping up, and projects like this coming together, it makes me very pleased and appreciative of where we\u2019re headed as a Territory,\u201d said Governor Albert Bryan Jr.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis project is a clear example of how we use FEMA mitigation to make sure the same thing doesn\u2019t happen again. A damaged roof turned into an opportunity to build resilience, bring in additional dollars, and deliver a class-A project with a strong partnership between the RTPark team and the Office of Disaster Recovery,\u201d said Adrienne Williams-Octalien, Director of the Office of Disaster Recovery.<\/p>\n
\u201cHere in the Virgin Islands, sustainability is not just an aspiration\u2014it\u2019s a responsibility. With the Renewable Energy Technology program and the SPARK Initiative, we are equipping the Virgin Islands workforce with the skills needed for a sustainable future. The RTPark building will serve as a living laboratory\u2014a place where innovation meets education and where our students will learn, experiment, and lead. This is how we build resilience, foster economic growth, and create opportunities for generations to come,\u201d said Dr. Safiya George, President of the University of the Virgin Islands.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis project is a great example of the work the RTPark team does every day to support the technology sector in the Territory. It doesn\u2019t just power a building\u2014it advances the tech ecosystem while creating new opportunities for young Virgin Islanders to see themselves in renewable energy as a viable career and business path,\u201d said Ian Tomlinson, Chairman of the UVI RTPark Board of Directors.<\/p>\n
UVI RTPark \u00d7 I3PG Critical Resilience Forum<\/strong><\/p>\n Following the ribbon cutting, the RTPark and I3PG LLC convened the\u00a0Critical Resilience Forum: Safeguarding Communities Through Energy, Connectivity & Security<\/em>, a half-day program exploring how energy, digital infrastructure, and cybersecurity work together to ensure operational continuity and strengthen community preparedness.<\/p>\n The forum emphasized that disaster resilience in the Virgin Islands extends far beyond hurricanes\u2014it includes cyber intrusions, infrastructure failures, communication outages, and other manmade threats that can disrupt essential operations. Speakers underscored the importance of developing and maintaining robust\u00a0Continuity of Operations Plans (COOP)\u00a0to ensure organizations can function through and after any emergency.<\/p>\n Representatives from ODR, VIEO, WAPA, VITEMA, UVI, and the private sector discussed business continuity frameworks, workforce training, and the integration of new learning technologies such as Hack The Box\u2014a hands-on cybersecurity platform used globally by universities and defense organizations.<\/p>\n VITEMA Director Daryl Jaschen highlighted the Continuity of Operations templates, resiliency planning resources, and readiness tools available through VITEMA to support both government agencies and the USVI business community. He emphasized that proactive planning\u2014paired with cross-sector coordination\u2014is essential to protecting critical functions and keeping services operating during natural and manmade disruptions.<\/p>\n UVI interns from the RTPark\u2019s Professional Pathways Program also shared research on radiation detection technology and cybersecurity testing, demonstrating the growing link between academic research, applied technology, and real-world resilience solutions.<\/p>\n \u201cI3PG is proud to collaborate with the UVI RTPark in building both physical and digital resilience,\u201d said Steve O\u2019Brien, President\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cOur partnership is equipping Virgin Islanders with the technical capabilities and practical experience to establish, develop, and maintain an on-island cadre of skilled personnel across these technical areas – improving the resilience of the US Virgin Islands’ infrastructures as well as the local jobs\/economy, the University, and the well-being of the people of the Virgin Islands.\u201d<\/p>\n Together, the Solar Farm and the Critical Resilience Forum exemplify the UVI RTPark\u2019s ability to bring partners together to solve complex challenges\u2014transforming classrooms into laboratories of innovation and turning academic goals into tangible, territory-wide outcomes.<\/p>\n For individuals or organizations interested in a guided tour of the solar array system and the 64 West Center facilities, please contact our Deputy to the Executive Director, Torhera Durand, at torhera.durand@uvirtpark.net or (340) 474-0922.<\/p>\n About the UVI RTPark<\/strong>
\nThe University of the Virgin Islands Research and Technology Park (UVI RTPark) is an economic development organization dedicated to building a resilient, innovation-driven economy in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Through business incentives, strategic partnerships, clean energy investment, and comprehensive STEM, entrepreneurship, and workforce development programs, the RTPark attracts and supports technology-focused companies while empowering local talent.<\/p>\n