Governor Albert Bryan Jr. at this year’s Global Sustainable Island Summit in Nevis. Photo Credit: GOV'T HOUSE.
Governor Albert Bryan Jr. took the stage at this year’s Global Sustainable Island Summit in Nevis to highlight the U.S. Virgin Islands’ progress in sustainable energy and infrastructure development, while urging deeper regional collaboration among Caribbean nations.
In his address on Friday, Governor Bryan noted the territory’s success in securing substantial federal support for its energy transformation. “While other islands are still searching for funding, the U.S. Virgin Islands has been fortunate to receive unprecedented support from the federal government—more than $23 billion in total investment, including $2 billion dedicated specifically to energy transformation,” he said.
The governor pointed to the territory’s use of public-private partnerships as a cornerstone of its progress, highlighting the 115-megawatt solar and battery storage project launched in collaboration with VI Electron. “This project not only brings clean, renewable energy to our islands,” he said, “but it does so at a lower cost and with greater reliability—demonstrating what’s possible when government and the private sector work hand in hand.”
Governor Bryan’s remarks came during a summit attended by island leaders from the Caribbean and beyond, including as far away as Hawaii. He was joined at the event by Premier Mark Brantley of Nevis, who presented Nevis’s geothermal energy initiative aimed at powering both Nevis and neighboring St. Kitts with clean energy. Governor Bryan praised the effort, calling it a model of innovation in renewable energy and a signal of what regional cooperation could achieve.
“We must look to specialization across the region,” Mr. Bryan urged. “The Virgin Islands have long led in emergency disaster response. Nevis is leading in energy. Other islands excel in agriculture, construction, and beyond. By harnessing our individual strengths collectively, we can build a more resilient and economically powerful Caribbean.”
Shifting to the broader subject of sustainability, the territory's leader stressed that while the term is often used as a buzzword in wealthier nations, it carries life-or-death implications for small island territories. He encouraged his peers to capitalize on what he termed the “delta of inefficiency”—the space between the high costs of public services and the efficiency of private-sector models—as an opportunity to unlock financing and attract smarter, more impactful investment strategies.
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