# US Virgin Islands Territory Energy Profile

US Virgin Islands Quick Facts • In 2015, the U.S. Virgin Islands Water and Power Aut hority is converting its electric generating stations to u se propane instead of residual and diesel fuel oils. The Authority aims to cut its imported fuel costs by 30%. • In recent years, generating fuel surcharges have driven th e average price of electricity paid by U.S. Virgin Island consumers as high as 50 cents per kilowatthour, five times t he U.S. average. • The Virgin Islands' first large-scale solar project, the 451-kilowatt King Airport photovoltaic array on St. Th omas, went into operation in fall 2011 and provides 15% of the airport's electricity; a 4-megawatt solar facility is b eing built on St. Croix. • The U.S. Virgin Islands' largest solar project, the 5 m egawatt Estate Donoe facility on St. Thomas, opened in February 2015, four months after the 4 megawatt Spa nish Town Estate plant opened on St. Croix. • The U.S. Virgin Islands was a pilot project of the int ernational Energy Development in Island Nations (EDIN) program, which encouraged efficiency and the use of renew able energy resources to cut fossil fuel use by 60% by 2025. The program has transitioned to a community-focused campaign, ViEnergy. Last Updated: April 16, 2015


# Data Last Update: June 18, 2015 | Next Update: July 16, 2015 

### Economy Population and Industry US Virgin Islands United States Period Population 0.1 million 311.6 million 2011 Energy Intensity 60,233 Btu per 2005 U.S. dollar 7,328 Btu per 2005 U.S. dollar 2011 Reserves & Supply Reserves US Virgin Islands United States Period Crude Oil 0 billion barrels 23 billion barrels 2011 Natural Gas Reserves 0 billion cu ft 305 billion cu ft 2011 Recoverable Coal -- 260,551 million short tons 2008 Production US Virgin Islands United States Period Total Energy 0 quadrillion Btu 78 quadrillion Btu 2011 

## Page 1 of 8 US Virgin Islands Profile

7/ 15/2015 http://www.eia.gov/state/print.cfm?sid=VQ

### Economy

Crude Oil 0 thousand barrels/day 8,653 thousand barrels/day 2014 Natural Gas - Marketed 0 billion cu ft 25,319 billion cu ft 2012 Coal 0 thousand short tons 1,016,458 thousand short tons 2012 Capacity US Virgin Islands United States Period Crude Oil Refinery Capacity (as of Jan. 1) 0 barrels/calendar day 17,823,659 barrels/calendar day 2013 Total Electricity Installed Capacity * 1,063 million kW 2012 Net Electricity Generation US Virgin Islands United S tates Period Total Net Electricity Generation 1 billion kWh 4,048 billion kWh 2012 Petroleum, Natural Gas, and Coal Net Electricity Generation 1 billion kWh 2,775 billion kWh 2012 Total Electricity Generation from Renewable Sources 0 billion kWh 508 billion kWh 2012

» Hydroelectric 0 billion kWh 276 billion kWh 2012

» Other Renewables 0 billion kWh 232 billion kWh 2012 Production Facilities US Virgin Islands Major Coal Mines None Petroleum Refineries Hovensa LLC (Kingshill) Major Non-Nuclear Electricity Generating Plants Randolph E. Harley (Virgin Islands Water & Power Autho rity) ; Richmond Power Plant (Virgin Islands Water & Power Aut hority) Nuclear Power Plants None Imports & Exports Total Imports US Virgin Islands United States Period Crude Oil Imports 402 thousand barrels/day 9,213 thousand barrels/day 2010 Total Petroleum Product Imports 6 thousand barrels/day 2,580 thousand barrels/day 2010
» Motor Gasoline Imports 0 thousand barrels/day 134 thousand barrels/day 2010

» Jet Fuel Imports 0 thousand barrels/day 98 thousand barrels/day 2010
» Kerosene Imports 0 thousand barrels/day 2 thousand barrels/day 2010
» Distillate Fuel Imports 0 thousand barrels/day 228 thousand barrels/day 2010

» Residual Fuel Imports 6 thousand barrels/day 366 thousand barrels/day 2010
» Liquefied Petroleum Gas Imports 0 thousand barrels/day 179 thousand barrels/day 2010
» Other Petroleum Products Imports 0 thousand barrels/day 1,572 thousand barrels/day 2010 Natural Gas Imports 0 billion cu ft 3,138 billion cu ft 2012 

## Page 2 of 8 US Virgin Islands Profile

7/ 15/2015 http://www.eia.gov/state/print.cfm?sid=VQ

### Economy

Coal Imports 0 thousand short tons 10,294 thousand short tons 2012 Total Exports US Virgin Islands United States Period Crude Oil Exports 0 thousand barrels/day 42 thousand barrels/day 2010 Total Petroleum Product Exports 316 thousand barrels/day 2,311 thousand barrels/day 2010

» Motor Gasoline Exports 108 thousand barrels/day 296 thousand barrels/day 2010
» Jet Fuel Exports 33 thousand barrels/day 84 thousand barrels/day 2010
» Kerosene Exports 0 thousand barrels/day 1 thousand barrels/day 2010

» Distillate Fuel Exports 69 thousand barrels/day 656 thousand barrels/day 2010
» Residual Fuel Exports 57 thousand barrels/day 405 thousand barrels/day 2010
» Liquefied Petroleum Gas Exports 1 thousand barrels/day 164 thousand barrels/day 2010

» Other Petroleum Products Exports 48 thousand barrels/day 705 thousand barrels/day 2010 Natural Gas Exports 0 billion cu ft 1,619 billion cu ft 2012 Coal Exports 0 thousand short tons 126,720 thousand short tons 2012 Distribution & Marketing Distribution Centers US Virgin Islands Oil Seaports/Oil Import Sites Charlotte Amalie ; Chri stiansted ; Cruz Bay ; Limetree Bay Natural Gas Market Centers None Major Pipelines None Consumption per Capita US Virgin Islands United States Period Total Energy 2,180 million Btu/person 313 million Btu/person 2011 by Source US Virgin Islands United States Period Total Energy * 95 quadrillion Btu 2012 Total Petroleum Products 113.5 thousand barrels/day 19,180.1 thousand barrels/day 2010

» Motor Gasoline 37.2 thousand barrels/day 8,992.7 thousand barrels/day 20 10
» Distillate Fuel 18.7 thousand barrels/day 3,800.3 thousand barrels/day 20 10
» Liquefied Petroleum Gases 8.1 thousand barrels/day 2,265.3 thousand barrels/day 201 0

» Jet Fuel 11.3 thousand barrels/day 1,431.6 thousand barrels/day 20 10
» Kerosene 0 thousand barrels/day 20 thousand barrels/day 2010

» Residual Fuel 3 thousand barrels/day 535 thousand barrels/day 2010
» Other Petroleum Products 35 Thousand Barrels/Day 2,135 Thousand Barrels/Day 2010 

## Page 3 of 8 US Virgin Islands Profile

7/ 15/2015 http://www.eia.gov/state/print.cfm?sid=VQ

### Economy

Natural Gas 0 Billion cu ft 25,533 Billion cu ft 2012 Coal 0 Thousand Short Tons 889,185 Thousand Short Tons 2012
Carbon Dioxide Emissions by Source US Virgin Islands United States Period Total Fossil Fuels 12 million metric tons 5,270 million metric tons 2012 Petroleum 9 million metric tons 2,269 million metric tons 2013 Natural Gas 0 million metric tons 1,374 million metric tons 2012 Coal 0 million metric tons 1,656 million metric tons 2012 

# Analysis Last Updated: April 16, 2015 

# Overview The U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI), part of the Leeward I slands of the Lesser Antilles, is a U.S. territory located in the Caribbean Sea, abou t 600 miles from Miami, Florida. The USVI has a total area of 134 square mile s, about twice the size of Washington, DC. The islands are hilly and forested, with limited arable areas, and most food is imported. The largest island is St. Croix. It lies about 40 miles south of the three other inhabited islands: St. John, St. Th omas, and Water Island. Those islands are located between the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico on the west and the British Virgin Islands on the east. The USVI has a subtropical climate with easterly trade wi nds and little seasonal variation in its warm temperatures. The Caribbean hurr icane season, from June to November, sometimes brings destructive storms. The territ ory has a population of about 106,000. Fewer than 5,000 people live on St. J ohn and Water Island; most of the population is evenly divided between St. Thomas a nd St. Croix. Tourism leads the islands' economy and typically accounts for up to four-fifths of the USVI's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Manufacturing, includi ng petroleum refining and rum production, was the second most importa nt part of the economy until the February 2012 closure of the Hovensa crude oil refinery on St. Croix. Financial and professional services and export-oriented services are growin g in importance. Like most other Caribbean islands, the USVI has no conven tional energy resources and imports petroleum products to meet its energy needs, including electricity and desalinat ion of ocean water for its public water supply. The USVI 's economy has typically been about seven times more energy-inte nsive than the U.S. economy, and per capita energy consumption in recent years has run as much as eight times hi gher than the U.S. average. Energy efficiency is low because of water desalination requirements, the predo minance of small, simple-cycle generators, and operational constraints and power losses on the islands' isolated electr ic grids. The government has set a goal of achieving a 60% reduction in fossil fuel demand by 2025 across all consuming sectors. The islands' electric utility is converting most petroleum-fired electric generators to cleaner-burning propane and adding substantial solar resources. 

# Petroleum The U.S. Virgin Islands depends on imported petroleum for generating electricity and producing public drinking water. Page 4of 8 US Virgin Islands Profile

7/ 15/2015 http://www.eia.gov/state/print.cfm?sid=VQThe USVI does not produce crude oil, and it has no know n reserves, although a recent U.S. Geological Survey

assessment identified the potential for undiscovered crude oil resources in a subsea formation south of the islands. The Hovensa petroleum refinery on St. Croix, one of the 10 largest crude oil refineries in the world, was shut dow n in February 2012. The refinery had provided most of the U .S. Virgin Islands' refined petroleum products. Since t he closure, refined products are imported primarily through the po rt of Christiansted on St. Croix. Major supply sources inclu de nations in the Caribbean and Latin America. Under an agreement with the USVI government, the refinery's own ers had operated the site as a storage terminal while seeking a buyer to reopen the refinery. After the USVI legislat ure voted in December 2014 against extending tax benefits to a prosp ective refinery buyer, the terminal began permanent clo sure. In the USVI, about two-thirds of all petroleum produ cts, in the form of No. 6 residual fuel oil and No. 2 diesel fuel, are used for electricity and water production. The remaining one-third is used almost entirely in the transportation sector, as motor gasoline, diesel fuel, and aviation fuel. Small amounts of propane are also consumed. Diesel fuel consu mption has risen as USVI residents bought more efficient vehicles and installed backup generators for electricity supply. 

# Natural gas The USVI does not produce natural gas and has no known reserves, although a recent U.S. Geological Survey assessment identified the potential for undiscovered natural gas resources in a subsea formation south of the island s. To reduce dependency on petroleum fuels, island officials have been seeking ways to access natural gas, including exploring the possibility of a pipeline from Puerto Ri co. The islands' small energy demand makes building a liqu efied natural gas (LNG) terminal difficult to justify econom ically, and prospects for LNG imports dimmed further wit h the shutdown of the Hovensa refinery, which could have been a major customer for LNG. Virgin Island authorities are looking to possible regional solutions to obtain LNG economicall y, working with governments of other Caribbean islands that face a similar challenge. 

# Coal The USVI does not produce or use coal and has no known co al reserves. 

# Electricity The USVI has two separate electricity grids, each with its own generation, managed by the Water and Power Authority (WAPA), an i ndependent governmental agency. Generating units include combustion and steam turbines and backup diesel, all fueled by imported petroleum. Th e 199-megawatt St. Thomas system supplies nearby St. John and Water Island by un derwater cable. The 122-megawatt St. Croix system, separated from St. Th omas by 40 miles of ocean, has its own grid. Average loads are less than half of capacity, but both isolated systems must maintain their own generation backu p and reserves. Seabed depth makes connecting the St. Thomas and St. Cro ix systems difficult. Cables to connect each system with Puerto Rico's larger syste m are being explored, to lower reserve requirements and increase reli ability. WAPA has launched a project to convert the existing turbi nes at the two main generating plants so they can burn propane and natural gas, as well as fuel oils. The two plants are the Randolph E. Harley plant near Krum Bay on St. Thomas and the Richmond plant near Christiansted on St. Croi x. Both plants were aging and needed increasingly costly maintenance and upgrading, and both are under federal consent decrees to reduce emissions. Propane is expected to cut emissions 20% from petroleum fuels and will be shipped in using existing port facilities at the plants. The Hovensa refinery supplied WAPA with No. 2 diesel fuel and No. 6 residual fuel at a small discount until the refinery closed, but, even with that d iscount, fuel prices rose with world oil prices. As a resul t, USVI

# Petroleumfueled generators supplying the USVI's two electric grids are being converted to burn propane. Page 5 of 8 US Virgin Islands Profile

7/ 15/2015 http://www.eia.gov/state/print.cfm?sid=VQresidents have paid up to five times the average U.S. pri ce for electricity. WAPA estimates a 30% fuel cost savings from

switching to propane; the switchover is scheduled to start in 2015. Nearly one-tenth of electricity generated is used for desa lination of sea water, and WAPA is transitioning to mo re efficient technologies to provide potable water. Homes not connect ed to the public water supply are required to have ciste rns to catch rainwater; a cistern may represent almost one-sixth of the cost of building a private home. About one-third of electricity is consumed by the resident ial sector, and another one-third is consumed by large commercial power users like hotels. Nearly one-sixth of ele ctricity goes to large industrial users such as distilleries a nd ports. Average household consumption is about half that o f the mainland United States, around 450 kilowatthours monthly. But electricity typically costs Virgin Island reside nts an average of 9% of their income, compared to 2% fo r the United States as a whole. 

# Renewable energy The USVI government's goal of reducing fossil fuel use 6 0% by 2025 has led to working with U.S. federal agencies and industry to find other energy sources. More than half of reductions are planned to come from energy efficiency, particularly in generation, transmission, street lightin g, and desalination, with the balance coming from wind, solar, and biomass technologies, including waste-toenergy and landfill gas. The legislature in 2009 requi red that 30% of WAPA's "peak demanded generating capacity" be from renewable so urces by 2025, increasing thereafter until a majority of capacity is ren ewables-sourced. The USVI was the United States' pilot project for the internati onal Energy Development in Island Nations (EDIN) partnership, aimed at demonstrati ng economic ways for islands worldwide to reduce energy costs by using efficiency a nd renewable technologies. The USVI government is now taking EDIN recommendations forward under a plan called ViEnergize. In early 2015, WAPA opened its largest solar photovoltai c (PV) project so far: the 5-megawatt Estate Donoe on S t. Thomas, which is expected to supply up to 5% of the island' s electrical needs in the daytime. The 4-megawatt Spanis h Town Estate PV facility opened on St. Croix in October 2 014. These projects are run by independent power produce rs, and WAPA has contracted for four other, smaller faciliti es on the two islands, hoping to get a total of about 15% of peak electric demand from solar, but other projects have not ye t been developed. In 2013, the University of the Virgin Islands contracted for a 3-megawatt solar PV system for its two cam puses. The islands' largest solar facility previously was the 450-kilowatt array at King Airport on St. Thomas. Sin ce 1990, the government has provided rebates for consumer-sited renewable facilities like solar PV panels, solar water h eaters, and small wind turbines. Solar water heaters are required in all new construction and in major renovations. The USVI has potential commercial wind energy resources, b ut finding the large sites needed for utility-scale proj ects on the islands has been a challenge. In addition, the fluct uating output of wind generators complicates their inte gration into the islands' small grids, and the potential for damage from hurricanes has made financing wind projects difficult . The most promising locations for utility-scale wind projects are on high ridges and exposed capes. Wind speeds were foun d suitable for large turbines at potential sites around L ongford on St. Croix and the Bovoni Peninsula on St. Thomas. The USVI also has opportunities in waste-to-energy, land fill gas, and biomass energy projects. A 7-megawatt generating plant, fed by biogas from a dedicated grass crop, is schedul ed for construction and operation on St. Croix in 2015

. Studies estimate that combustion of landfill waste could provide up to 8 megawatts of generating capacity while reducing waste volumes, but so far, the proposals for waste-to-energy plants at landfills on St. Thomas and St. Croix have b een considered too costly. A small landfill gas project is und er way at St. Thomas' Bovoni landfill. An ethanol dehyd ration facility on St. Croix has processed ethanol from Brazil for blending with motor gasoline from the U.S. mainland . The facility is currently closed but could reopen. 

# The USVI hopes to supply 15% of peak power demand from solar resources.

Page 6of 8 US Virgin Islands Profile

7/ 15/2015 http://www.eia.gov/state/print.cfm?sid=VQ

# Other Resources

**Energy-Related Regions and Organizations**

• Petroleum Administration for Defense District (PADD) : 6 

### Other Websites

• Virgin Islands Energy Office

• Virgin Islands Public Service Commission

• U. S. Virgin Islands Department of Human Services, Finan cial Assistance Programs/Energy Assistance

• Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority

• The Virgin Islands Energy Office, Weatherization Assistance Program

• Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicle Data Center - Fed eral and State Incentives and Laws

• U. S. Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs, U. S. Virgin Islands

• DSIRE - Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency

• National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (N ARUC)

• National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO)

• National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL)-Issues a nd Research - News Highlights: Issues and Research - Energy

• National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)-Dynamic Map s, Geographic Information System (GIS) Data and Analysis Tools - Maps

• U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Maps, Imagery, and Publica tions - Maps

• Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

• Virgin Islands Energy Office, EDIN

• United States Department of Health and Human Services - Administration for Children and Families - Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program Email suggestions for additional US Virgin Islands websit e resources to: states@eia.gov

. 

## Page **7 of**  **8 US Virgin Islands Profile** 

**7/ 15/** **2015 http://www.eia.gov/state/print.cfm?sid=VQ** 

## Page **8 of**  **8**

**US Virgin Islands Profile**

**7/ 15/** **2015 http://www.eia.gov/state/print.cfm?sid=VQ**