Kyneshia Fearon

Virgin Islands Energy Office

Since its inception in 1974, the Virgin Islands Energy Office (VIEO) has served as the primary administrator of energy programs in the Virgin Islands. Charged with establishing and monitoring the integration of programs and policies relating to the conservation, use, control, and allocation of energy, the VIEO has embarked upon numerous undertakings that have positively impacted the economic and environmental sustainability of the Virgin Islands. Funding made available from recovered petroleum overcharge funds paid by fossil fuel companies as restitution for violation of price controls in the early 1970's has allowed the VIEO to make energy consumers more aware of the critical link between energy and the economy. Over the last seven years, a number of programs have been instituted that have furthered the goals of the VIEO. The most well known of these is the Energy Efficiency Pay$ Rebate Program, a financial assistance program that offers rebates on energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. Of course education has always remained a top priority of the VIEO. Educational outreach has included classroom presentations, seminars and workshops, hands-on demonstrations, and exhibits such as our annual display at the Agriculture and Food Fair. The VIEO also publishes Currents, a newsletter that keeps the community abreast of VIEO activities and it also offers useful energy information as well as fact sheets offering a host of simple and affordable energy tips. The VIEO encourages everyone to become more aware of the role energy does in fact play in our lives. Implementing energy conserving attitudes not only saves you money but saves our beautiful environment, too.