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Updated: January 15, 2026 @ 3:15 am
Caribbean Solar Company installs solar panels at a home in Estate St. Quaco & Zimmerman, on the south east side of St. John, as a part of the Love City Strong Resilient Energy Initiative.
Caribbean Solar Company installs solar panels at a home in Estate St. Quaco & Zimmerman, on the south east side of St. John, as a part of the Love City Strong Resilient Energy Initiative.
Love City Strong has announced the completion of the first phase of the Resilient Energy Initiative, a program that installed solar panels and battery systems on 15 low and moderate income homes on St. John.
The nonprofit will expand the pilot program to an additional 17 homes throughout 2026, according to a press release.
Each installation includes rooftop solar panels and a Tesla Powerwall 3 battery, providing households with 20-24 hours of battery backup during power outages.
The systems reduce electricity costs while increasing energy resilience for families who have experienced repeated grid failures and hurricane-related outages, the release stated.
“The Resilient Energy Initiative addresses energy equity head-on,” said Meaghan Enright, Love City Strong’s executive director. “These families now have reliable power during outages and meaningful relief from crushing electricity bills.”
The territory faces electricity rates of 43 cents per kilowatt-hour—three times the U.S. average and among the highest in the Caribbean and St. John experienced more than three dozen outages lasting an hour or more in 2025 alone, according to the release.
While wealthier residents have left the grid for solar, low and moderate-income families have borne progressively higher cost burdens.
Enright said homes were selected for the Resilient Energy Initiative from their disaster housing recovery programs.
“If we are able to secure more fudning and expand the program beyond the pilot, we will make an announcement for those interested in the program,” she said, projecting further developments in late 2026 or early 2027.
Love City Strong partnered with Caribbean Solar Company, a local solar firm, to design and install customized systems for each home — developing local employment opportunities and ensuring ongoing technical support.
“This program represents a powerful step toward energy equity in the Virgin Islands. We’re proud to help bring reduced electricity costs through solar power and dependable backup energy through batteries to residents who will benefit most,” said Kevin Schnell, president of Caribbean Solar Company. “Reliable power isn’t a luxury—it’s essential—and we’re honored to help make it more accessible in our community.”
Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) provided strategic guidance throughout the project, building on years of collaboration with Love City Strong on territorial energy solutions. RMI’s expertise in renewable energy systems helped shape the program’s design and implementation.
“Resilience should not be limited to those who can afford it, and this initiative is paving the way for household-level resilience for low and moderate-income families,” Ian Welch-Phillips with Rocky Mountain Institute said in the release. “Energy underpins every aspect of daily life, and pairing clean energy with dependable backup power gives these families the ability to withstand outages, recover faster from disruptions, and build a safer, cheaper, and more stable future.”
Love City Strong will cover 10 years of operations and maintenance for all participating households.
Bloomberg Philanthropies has supported the 30 home initiative.
Love City Strong is a St. John-based nonprofit focused on disaster preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation.
Since 2017, the organization has rebuilt 40+ homes through its Resilient Housing Initiative and leads territorial efforts in community resilience and sustainable infrastructure development.
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