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NECKER
ISLAND
RETHINKING FOSSIL FUELS
In 1978, when Sir Richard Branson bought
Necker Island, his private island paradise
in the British Virgin Islands, the young
entrepreneur wasn’t looking for much more
than a way to impress his girlfriend. In the
forty years since, however, Branson has turned
the lush island into a beloved family home to
which he frequently returns.
Necker has undergone many transformations
over the years; the island was hit particularly
hard by Hurricane Irma. But today, as part of
Virgin’s Limited Edition hotel collection, the
luxury retreat is as beautiful as ever. Available
for rent year-round, the island is usually only
booked in its entirety, although during select
weeks throughout the year, guests are invited
to reserve individual rooms or houses.
ANDREWHARPERTRAVEL.COM
What makes Necker particularly unique,
however, is Branson’s commitment to making
the island carbon neutral. Part of the Ten
Island Challenge, a clean fuel initiative
dedicated to transitioning Caribbean islands
away from fossil fuels, Necker is in the process
of installing a renewable energy power grid
based on solar power and windmills. Although
small scale, the work on the island is being
used to test the feasibility of such systems,
the results of which have the potential to
effect change far beyond Necker’s white
sand beaches.
PHOTO
NECKER ISLAND
SPRING | 2019