Wander Thoughts

The island of Saint Helena now boasts the world's most isolated public electric vehicle charging station in its capital, Jamestown.

Approximately 2,000 kilometers off the west coast of Africa is part of a trial conducted by the Norwegian charging company Easee and the Japanese car brand Subaru.

With only a handful of electric vehicles currently present on the island, the government is anticipating that upgrading the infrastructure will encourage more people to abandon their vehicles powered by petrol and diesel.

And, as Saint Helena moves forward with its plan for a greener future, it's a key part of a strategy to reduce its reliance on costly imported fossil fuels.

Electric vehicles can be a viable option even in the most inaccessible locations.

"Our trial with Connected Kerb allows us to thoroughly test our systems, whether it's the data link to the charging point, to identify and resolve any issues remotely," says Adam Rodgers, country director for Easee in the UK and Ireland.

“We're very confident we can do it – we've proven that in the past – but it will be a true real-world testing ground for us to thoroughly test and ensure that the next generation of chargers we develop incorporate the knowledge we gain from this experience.”

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For Lorraine Bishton, managing director of Subaru UK, it shows that EVs can be a viable option even in the most rural or isolated areas.

There's a lot of misconceptions about EVs at the moment," she says, "They're viewed mainly as city cars, but in reality, they're just as suitable for rural areas or rural environments as they are for urban ones.

And to be truthful, if you can handle operating an electric vehicle under these types of conditions, then you can drive it anywhere.

Opinions about Electric Vehicles (EVs) are undergoing a shift on the island of St Helena.

The government has significantly reduced tax on importing electric vehicles to almost zero, nevertheless, the single vehicle imported by Subaru has increased the total number by 20 percent.

“Only a handful of electric vehicles can be found on the island at present,” says Mark Brooks, Minister for Treasury and Economic Development in the St Helena government.

We intend to encourage people to bring in more electric vehicles. Our goal is to install more charging stations and lay down the necessary infrastructure, and then explore policy initiatives to boost the number of electric vehicles on the island.

The opinions about electric vehicles are changing very quickly, Tara Wortley, a businesswoman and one of the few electric vehicle owners on Saint Helena, said.

I have my thoughts on whether renewables and electric vehicles are part of St Helena's future, but we've actually seen electric vehicles arrive on the island and they are operational.

Wortley has discovered that owning an EV is more economical. She has found that her daily expenses for driving an electric vehicle are significantly lower than those of driving a diesel car. Specifically, the daily cost to drive a diesel car would be approximately £7 to £8 (around €8 to €9), in contrast to the minimal cost of £0.17 (approximately €0.20) per day for her electric vehicle.

Opportunities for businesses can also be found in this green transition. Derek Pedley aims to bring a fleet of electric rental vehicles to St Helena in early 2025 – for both tourists and local residents.

"I especially consider the rental market first because I would classify it as a lower risk," he says.

The entirety of the island's electric vehicles are currently being charged at home, and Pedley suggests that it would be logical to provide charging stations in Jamestown and even at the airport for individuals who are collecting rental cars.

“Upon revisiting the island in five years, I am confident that the number of electric cars you will encounter will be in the hundreds,” he concludes.

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The cost of importing fossil fuels is prompting the government of St Helena to scrutinize its energy alternatives.

Saint Helena seeks to shift away from relying on imported fossil fuels. The island reportedly spends approximately £5 million (€6 million) annually to import fuel for electricity and vehicular purposes, accounting for roughly one-sixth of its £34 million (€40.5 million) annual revenue from the UK.

“Clearly with St Helena being isolated, we have to bring in fuel at least every month to every six weeks,” explains Merril Lawrence, electricity generation manager at Connect, St Helena.

Tout le temps, mais il pourrait y avoir autre chose.

"We are located just below the equator. We receive approximately 12 hours of sunlight daily, almost consistently throughout the year. Additionally, being a small island situated in the midst of the ocean, there is always a gentle breeze blowing through our region," Brooks adds.

That's right, we have extremely conducive circumstances for harnessing solar and wind energy.

It aims to increase its renewable energy capacity from 25 per cent to 80 per cent in the next four years, with the goal of going fully renewable in the future.

I believe as we're a relatively small community on St Helena and we have a compact government, it seems feasible that we can be entirely carbon neutral.

In terms of having a fallback system in place in case something goes wrong with renewable energy sources, we potentially could rely on diesel generation for resilience. However, it is entirely feasible that we can power an entire island using only renewable energy.

Watch the video seen above to see the world's most isolated electric vehicle charger in operation.

When booking a flight online, you'll often be given the option to offset the carbon footprint of your trip.

You'll be asked if you want to pay a small extra fee - often under €5 - to the cost of your booking to help offset the emissions produced by your flight.

However, carbon credit schemes have repeatedly been criticized by scientists and climate activists as ineffective and even counterproductive.

Should you opt for offsetting the emissions from your flight, or are there other options available to make your travel more environmentally friendly?

What is the process behind carbon offsetting for flights?

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A one-way flight from London's Heathrow Airport to Paris's Charles de Gaulle Airport emits approximately 0.32 tons of CO2.

The concept is to offset the emissions by funding a scheme that will remove or store the equivalent amount of carbon elsewhere, typically through the planting of trees.

The deception of carbon offsetting schemes

or ‘flight shame.’

Carbon offsetting at most cancels out emissions that have already been released into the atmosphere, but does not reduce them as travelers sometimes mistakenly believe.

Have been labeled as ineffective by scientists, while others can have a negative impact.

Tree planting and forest protection initiatives, however, raise sustainability concerns. Despite this, Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) projects account for about a quarter of the credits on the voluntary carbon market.

Research by scientists from the University of California, Berkeley revealed that "existing REDD+ methods most likely produce credits that stand for only a small part of the intended benefits they assert to bring about in addressing climate change."

On members of indigenous peoples and local communities who face forced displacement.

The initiative should be sustainable and serve as a long-term commitment, incorporating a clear strategy for the care and upkeep of the planted trees, and clearly demonstrate that these projects are supplementary, meaning that the actions would not have been undertaken in the absence of this initiative.

What are some alternative options to carbon offsetting for flights?

Another option is to choose destinations that are close to one's starting location, thus minimizing the need for long-term studio which sits heavily on the environment.

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Thanks to Europe's renewed interest in rail travel, long-distance train journeys are faster, more comfortable, and more affordable than ever before. Use websites such as Omio and Trainline to locate routes and prices, and purchase tickets.

Train journeys can often be faster than flights because you don’t have to arrive at the train station hours before like you do with a flight. Additionally, there's typically no limit on luggage, decreasing stress when packing.

In addition to this, it's more beneficial to be able to move freely on a train, rather than being confined to a small seat on an airplane. Trains also provide benefits such as carriages with child-friendly amenities, and on long journeys, they offer comfortable sleeping quarters, allowing you to arrive at your destination feeling refreshed and saving on the cost of an overnight stay.

If you have to fly, consider choosing airlines that utilize sustainable aviation fuel and opt for an economy seat - business class passengers typically occupy more space, resulting in higher emissions than economy seats.

Flying on large commercial aircraft is a more environmentally friendly option compared to smaller planes or private jets, as it enables the transportation of more people while reducing the amount of emissions per individual trip.