Sir Richard Branson and BMR Energy Call for Renewable Energy Rebuild in the Caribbean
Virgin Group Founder Sir Richard Branson and CEO of BMR Energy Bruce
Levy will meet this week with energy industry and government leaders
from across the Caribbean to discuss renewable energy development
following the recent hurricanes in the region.
The destructive impacts of Hurricanes Irma and Maria have been felt
across the Caribbean islands and beyond. In Puerto Rico, 85 percent of
citizens are still without power; in the British Virgin Islands (BVI),
key generation and distribution infrastructure face catastrophic damage.
Access to electricity across other Caribbean islands is extremely
limited.
These Hurricanes have reinforced the need for more resilient and
reliable energy systems in the region. This topic will be a focus of the Caribbean
Renewable Energy Forum (CREF), taking place in Miami Oct. 18-20.
CREF, the largest annual gathering of the Caribbean energy market,
brings together regional and global influencers in renewable energy
industries and will include presentations from BMR Energy executives.
BMR will also co-host a private reception with Branson, whose company
Virgin Group acquired BMR
in 2016, to advance dialogue and collaboration with the aim of
accelerating progress on clean energy rebuilding projects.
In addition to creating energy security for the region, rebuilding from
the hurricanes with renewable energy is also an opportunity to highlight
the fact that many of the affected islands have some of the world’s
highest electricity prices, largely as a result of dependence on
imported fossil fuels like diesel.
Renewable energy projects like solar and wind farms offer solutions to
both challenges: lower costs stemming from generating electricity
without the need for fuel and decentralized resources that are more
resilient and easier to repair after natural disasters.
The political and business leaders attending CREF, who include current
and former heads of state and experts from international institutions
like the United Nations and World Bank, will discuss how to carve the
most direct paths to rebuilding with renewables in the Caribbean.
Branson, a resident of the BVI, which were devastated by Hurricane Irma,
is a huge advocate of renewable energy. Branson hopes that the BMR
reception will enhance industry leaders’ support of his vision for an
internationally-funded effort to make renewable energy the centerpiece
of rebuilding efforts.
“Hurricanes Irma and Maria were devastating. It’s certain more of these
intense hurricanes will be brought on by climate change in the coming
years. There has never been a more important time to push for renewable
energy in the Caribbean,” said Branson.
“We are bringing together international leaders and experts who are in
the best position to build a cleaner, more resilient energy future for
the Caribbean. BMR Energy is a prime example of these; their expertise
in renewables projects will be invaluable as we build a cleaner, more
resilient future across the BVI and wider Caribbean.”
CREF and the reception follow two milestones for BMR Energy: the
completion of one year of operation at BMR’s award-winning,
36-megawatt (MW) wind farm in Jamaica—the largest private-sector
renewable energy project in Jamaica, and the company’s acquisition of
the 7 MW Green Solar array in Guatemala—BMR’s first solar project in
Central America. The milestones mark steady progress for BMR, a leader
in the field of renewables development in the Caribbean that combines 70
years of experience at the executive level with deep commitment to its
work through long-term ownership of every project it develops. BMR is
also currently involved in the development of additional renewable
energy projects throughout the Caribbean and Latin America, including
Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, the Virgin Islands, St. Kitts,
Honduras, Costa Rica, Colombia and Mexico.
BMR Energy will be exhibiting at CREF at booth 8.
About BMR Energy
BMR Energy, a Virgin Group investment, is a developer, owner and
operator of clean energy projects in the Caribbean and Latin America.
BMR Energy’s solution-minded team brings its industry expertise to
efficiently executing projects that deliver affordable, sustainable
energy generation. For more information, visit www.bmrenergy.com.
About Virgin Group
Virgin is a leading international investment group and one of the
world's most recognised and respected brands. Conceived in 1970 by Sir
Richard Branson, the Virgin Group has gone on to grow successful
businesses in sectors including mobile telephony, travel &
transportation, financial services, leisure & entertainment and health &
wellness.
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