How Ray Caye is using Caribbean sunshine to fuel their private island.

Climate change is an increasingly urgent topic, and here on Ray Caye, we are committed to having a positive impact on our environment. Renewable technology, such as solar energy, is one of the most effective ways of combatting climate change. This is because unlike fossil fuels, there are no direct greenhouse emissions associated with it. 

Our small island paradise is an incredible place. We get to wake up to the sun and sea every day but living on an island is not without its challenges, particularly when you’re 17 miles away from the mainland. A question we get asked a lot, is – how do we get power to the island? It’s a story we are always happy and proud to share. So, exactly what is our power source? It’s sunshine!! With a nearly consistent supply of sunshine, the choice to use solar energy was an obvious one.

We are always proactively looking for new ways to take care of our environment, and to act as a pioneer for sustainability and responsible tourism in the region. So as the first in Belize, we’re introducing, the TESLA Powerwall, the most recent addition to our solar power grid that is allowing our island to run entirely on clean, green energy.

Some questions we’re often asked include – What happens when it’s cloudy? What happens at night? How do you store energy? Perhaps it’s questions like this, combined with the initial investments required, that is the reason that solar energy is still in its infancy in the Caribbean, despite there being an abundance of sunshine.

THE SCIENCE…

Back in 2015, the electric car manufacturer, TESLA, set its sights on the home energy storage market and announced the launch of Powerwall – their first home battery product. Driven in part by the sustainable energy vision of their CEO, Elon Musk, the Powerwall acts as an ideal partner for solar panel systems, particularly in off-grid projects such as Ray Caye, where the ideal is to become fully independent of mainstream utilities.

On the island, our solar system can be easily broken down into three sections; Energy Harvest, Energy Storage and Power Distribution. Our Energy Harvest consists of large solar panels spread throughout the island – currently around 500 panels. These panels soak up the suns powerful rays and connect to Powerwall products which effectively act as our Energy Storage and Power Distribution, by allowing us to maintain a sustained power supply during the day or night.

Through Powerwall, we are able to see exactly how much energy we are generating through our power grids, monitor real-time energy usage and feel confident in how much energy we have stored for backup, or for those rare times when the sun isn’t shining. Not only that, Powerwall has completely eliminated the need for the bulky diesel generators that used to serve as a back-up energy source for the island.

SO, WHAT WILL YOU EXPERIENCE AS A GUEST? 

The fantastic truth is that you will not notice any difference at all. Your stay with us will include all the luxuries you’d expect from a private island vacation – warm showers, electricity to charge your devices, great food, and lighting whenever you need it. In fact, we’d go so far as to say that the solar energy we use enhances your stay here. How many other private islands can you escape to and feel confident in knowing that you’ve made a truly eco-conscious decision without sacrificing any comfort? Ray Caye is perhaps becoming the epitome of leaving nothing but footprints in the sand.