UVI RTPark Celebrates Completion of Solar Array with Unique Teaching Component
November 13, 2025
UVI RTPark Celebrates Completion of Solar Array with Unique Teaching Component
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’s technology portfolio.
Held at the RTPark’s 64 West Center headquarters on the University of the Virgin Islands’ 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.
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’s goal of integrating sustainable technology with education and applied learning. The system now fully powers the 64 West Center building—home to the UVI RTPark headquarters and UVI laboratories—while serving as a hands-on training site for students in UVI’s Associate of Applied Science in Renewable Energy Technology program. The project also supports UVI’s Energy Management Strategy, which aims to achieve a 60 percent reduction in fossil fuel use across University facilities.
“This project reflects the very best of what collaboration can achieve,” said Eric Sonnier, Executive Director of the UVI RTPark. “The Solar Farm & Teaching Array blends technology, education, and vision—strengthening the University’s capacity to offer applied learning and build pathways into high-growth industries. It’s a powerful example of how innovative partnerships can deliver lasting impact for the Virgin Islands.”
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.
“Every 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’re headed as a Territory,” said Governor Albert Bryan Jr.
“This project is a clear example of how we use FEMA mitigation to make sure the same thing doesn’t 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,” said Adrienne Williams-Octalien, Director of the Office of Disaster Recovery.
“Here in the Virgin Islands, sustainability is not just an aspiration—it’s 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—a 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,” said Dr. Safiya George, President of the University of the Virgin Islands.
“This project is a great example of the work the RTPark team does every day to support the technology sector in the Territory. It doesn’t just power a building—it 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,” said Ian Tomlinson, Chairman of the UVI RTPark Board of Directors.
UVI RTPark × I3PG Critical Resilience Forum
Following the ribbon cutting, the RTPark and I3PG LLC convened the Critical Resilience Forum: Safeguarding Communities Through Energy, Connectivity & Security, a half-day program exploring how energy, digital infrastructure, and cybersecurity work together to ensure operational continuity and strengthen community preparedness.
The forum emphasized that disaster resilience in the Virgin Islands extends far beyond hurricanes—it 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 Continuity of Operations Plans (COOP) to ensure organizations can function through and after any emergency.
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—a hands-on cybersecurity platform used globally by universities and defense organizations.
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—paired with cross-sector coordination—is essential to protecting critical functions and keeping services operating during natural and manmade disruptions.
UVI interns from the RTPark’s 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.
“I3PG is proud to collaborate with the UVI RTPark in building both physical and digital resilience,” said Steve O’Brien, President “Our 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.”
Together, the Solar Farm and the Critical Resilience Forum exemplify the UVI RTPark’s ability to bring partners together to solve complex challenges—transforming classrooms into laboratories of innovation and turning academic goals into tangible, territory-wide outcomes.
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 [email protected] or (340) 474-0922.
About the UVI RTPark
The 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.
About I3PG LLC
I3PG LLC is a technology solutions firm and member of the UVI RTPark client portfolio, specializing in defense, cybersecurity, and continuity-of-operations consulting. The company develops advanced tools, training, and systems integration to strengthen organizational resilience across the Caribbean and the United States.
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