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Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (WAPA)

Excellence in ENERGY STAR Promotion
Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (WAPA)
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (WAPA) is the only electricity and water provider serving the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI). Operating independently of any grid and producing more than 900 million kWh of electricity and nearly 2 billion gallons of water for 120,000 residents each year, WAPA is committed to empowering its customers to take control of their energy use and energy bills.

Taking the lead in promoting energy efficiency and environmental protection in the Caribbean, WAPA incorporates ENERGY STAR, along with other effective strategies, tools, and products, in outreach to its customers. The organization's program goals include reducing energy consumption, lowering greenhouse gas emissions, and decreasing demand on power generation capabilities. WAPA accomplishes these goals by educating customers about reducing energy use in homes and businesses, completing a change-out of all incandescent light bulbs in the USVI with CFLs, and informing island residents and visitors about the effects of energy use on the environment. WAPA's key achievements include:

  • Distributing 60,000 ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs to island residents, resulting in more than $8 million in savings.
  • Conducting outreach activities to raise awareness of the benefits of CFLs along with other energy-efficient technologies to ultimately increase market penetration of these products in USVI retail stores, resulting in an overall increased demand for ENERGY STAR qualified products in stores and increased stocking and sales of energy-efficient lamps.
  • Performing outreach to educate customers about the connection between energy use and climate change.
  • Raising awareness about environmental issues and showing how ENERGY STAR makes a difference through public education presentations and community outreach events, such as Virgin Islands Energy Education Week, agricultural fairs, health fairs, career fairs, and through its Chamber of Commerce.

Along with advertising through television, radio, and print media, WAPA has helped reach both residents and tourists with the ENERGY STAR message. A 2007 WAPA survey showed that 95 percent of island households were familiar with ENERGY STAR, and 89 percent know what it represents. Additionally, 43 percent of survey respondents had at least one ENERGY STAR qualified product in their home, not including lighting.