Welectricity is a web-based, social networking application which will be used to promote energy efficiency in the Caribbean. The network will allow users to contribute information on their energy consumption habits, which can then be compared against their peers.

It is hoped that website will act as a behavioural tool to give users the psychological incentive to reduce their consumption. People who use the website will also be able to post energy saving solutions, messages, photographs and videos describing the ways in which they save energy and save money.

Whilst much research has been conducted into technical energy-saving solutions, there has been little emphasis on the behavioural aspects of energy consumption. Adjusting human behaviour is a quick, free, and efficient way of saving energy. Welectricty in designing a social networking website seeks to tackle this largely unexplored dimension of consumption in a modern, user friendly and novel way.

The beneficiaries of the project will be all the households within the Caribbean who become members of the network. Prices for electricity in the Caribbean are amongst the highest in the world, the ability to reduce household expenditure at no cost will relieve the pressure many feel in paying for energy. Indirectly, this reduced energy consumption will have positive effects on the national economy and the environment.

This project is founded on a web based system implemented on a per country basis starting from St Vincent and the Grenadines. Scaling up should be relatively simple as there is no need for large amounts of additional capital when new countries join the programme. It is hoped that during the second year of project implementation, the network will be expanded to include Jamaican and Barbadians, consumers.

About the winner:
Herbert Samuel, Mr. Samuel is an industrial engineer whose expertise lies in the area of energy planning and electricity generation. Herbert has his own consultancy Green Island Inc which promotes renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainability within the Caribbean.