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Sustainable Design

Renewable Energy & Biofuels

Clean electricity: The 31.2 kilowatt building integrated photovoltaic array is a component of the first grid connected renewable energy system in the history of The Bahamas. The inauguration of this project marked the culmination of five years of effort by CEI to develop a working partnership with Bahamas Electricity Corporation, Ministry of Energy and Environment and the Office of the Prime Minister. We are proud to be able to showcase this national achievement and we are presently sharing data with these agencies as a pilot project for facilitating a more sustainable energy future.

Biodiesel: Cape Eleuthera Institute operates a community scale biodiesel facility that provides over 18,000 gallons a year of ASTM D-6751 quality biodiesel to the Island School, Deep Creek Middle School and internal use. The plant was designed and built by our team and is a precursor for a commercial scale plant being developed in Nassau this year by Cape Systems. We now supply virtually 100% of our fuel needs with biodiesel, which has the double benefit of keeping waste cooking oil out of the environment and also avoiding the use of nearly 20,000 gallons of imported petroleum diesel each year. Since its launch, we have created over 50,000 gallons of biodiesel and the amount is growing. We use the fuel on our fleet of vans, heavy trucks, construction equipment, stationary generators, marine diesels and our faculty vehicle fleet.

Cape Eleuthera Institute is supported with the supply of waste cooking oil by Princess Cays and Princess Cruises in South Eleuthera. An overview of the biodiesel program is available in PDF format.