Times of the Islands Fall 2022

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It works like this: A donor purchases an NFT (Non Fungible Token) image created by Coral Tribe using the crypto currency Solana. The proceeds are then allocated to its charity arm, Impact Fund, which distributes a portion of the donation to the crypto currency accounts of approved non-profits like the TCRF. The crypto currency can in turn be converted to US dollars. Coral Tribe chose to operate using Solana because, unlike bigger players such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, this crypto currency has minimal environmental impact when “mined” on computers to produce units or “coins” through complex algorithms. Using this imaginative form of funding, TCRF has been able to increase its in-water staghorn coral program by installing a rope style nursery to grow over 600 “fragments.” Zimmermann says, “We immediately saw the potential for this method of funding to be a model for expanding research that could well be a standard in the near future. Moreover, Coral Tribe has created an online community that goes well beyond NFT trades to bring ocean conservation to the world of crypto. I’m an artist at heart and the intersection of art, conservation, and technology caught my attention immediately! We’re excited about the wider potential cryptocurrency may have here.” Solar power One clear niche for innovation in TCI is the efficient utilization of solar power. With bright sunshine almost every day of the year, TCI is well positioned to take full advantage with imaginative applications. Indeed, there are several local solar entrepreneurs working to harness this endless source of power. The prospect that every house and business could be powered by solar panels on the roof, windows, or in a large land clearing portends an elixir that could one day take us off fossil fuel. But as promising as solar power is, challenges remain, philosophical, as well as practical. Enter Matt Gorvin, founder and CEO of renu energy TCI and one of TCI’s solar power pioneers. He poses a series of provocative questions, beginning with, “What could TCI be known for?” For Gorvin, TCI could become the region’s clean energy leader, transforming the economy in the next decade. “We need to think more holistically,” he says. “Homes and commercial establishments should be designed with energy conservation and self generation in mind. Rather than perceiving solar power and energy storage as supplements or add-ons to the grid, why not make the starting premise independence from fossil fuel?” ALIZEE ZIMMERMANN The Turks & Caicos Reef Fund has begun a unique partnership with international investment group Coral Tribe to use crypto currency to help finance reef restoration. This is the new underwater staghorn coral nursery. 58 www.timespub.tc
Wind Chime Villa in Turtle Tail is a sustainable property off the grid, using clean, renewable energy. Six Tesla Powerwalls are charged by the sun during the day, storing the solar energy. JAMES ROY — PARADISE PHOTOGRAPHY In pursuit of that aspiration, renu has worked with local building contractors to feed solar energy directly into some of the homes in the South Bank and Beach Enclave, among other developments. At the same time, renu provides Tesla Powerwall batteries for storage of excess energy to keep appliances running at night. As a bonus, the excess energy produced can be used to charge electrical vehicles using an electrical charger built right into the garage. While these houses are not entirely off the fossil fuel energy grid, the power supply balance can be precisely measured and monitored through an app that shows how and when each power source is being used. The switch between solar and fossil fuel works seamlessly, while allowing the homeowner to check and adjust as needed by, for example, shutting down an AC unit in a bedroom. The app engenders a heightened awareness of energy use that also gives the homeowner/resident more control over energy allocation that can lessen dependence on fossil fuel. Even as the concept has proven to work on high-end houses, Gorvin is committed to making this technology available to the larger TCI community. He has begun working with Provo Primary and Middle School educators and parents to incorporate solar panels that renu supplies at cost. As part of the school’s science class, students will be given access to the app that allows them to see and understand exactly how much their school relies on fossil fuel versus solar. From there, students will be able to design experiments to alter the balance for greater energy effciency. In this way, students can get a practical education in energy use to prepare them to take on bigger projects later on. Another pioneering TCI solar power company, Green Revolution, takes a similar holistic approach by integrating renewable energy into building design right from the start. Working with major TCI building contractors such as Norstar Group, Green Revolution has completed more than 300 solar projects, removing 2,400 tons of CO 2 from the atmosphere. Drawing on its years of experience, Green Revolution is taking the concept a step farther: Instead of applying solar power to just individual houses and buildings, they ask, why not extend the concept by developing micro grids that link small communities to a solar power energy source? Essentially, the idea is to build a distributed network of solar power generation instead of having it all produced in one place. These micro grids — already proven to work — would not Times of the Islands Fall 2022 59
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Times of the Islands Fall 2022

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