Unveiling the 2024 Honda Passport SUV; Powering Remote Communities with Renewable Energy; The J-Plus Booster 2 Portable EV Charger Revolution

Embark on a journey of discovery with me, Ken Chester, as we peel back the layers of the latest mobility marvels and technological advancements. Prepare to transform your understanding of the 2024 Honda Passport SUV—a vehicle that proves to be both a warrior on rugged terrains and a charmer on city streets. We'll scrutinize its off-road prowess, powered by a robust V6 engine, and discuss where this Alabama native could chart a smoother course, particularly when it comes to fuel efficiency and accessibility features. It's not just about the thrill of the drive; it's about the story behind the wheel.

Imagine a future where power outages and resource scarcity are mere history lessons. In the heart of California's wildfire country, a pioneering partnership between Pacific Gas and Electric and BoxPower is lighting the way for remote communities to harness the sun, wind, and innovative energy storage. Priceburg's tale is a testament to resilience, where renewable energy solutions offer a beacon of hope and a model for revolutionizing our grid. Together, we'll explore the implications for our planet, probing whether this could signal a paradigm shift in the utility industry and how we power our lives.

Charge into the realm of electric vehicles where the J-Plus Booster 2 Portable EV Charger from Juice Americas is making waves. As someone who understands the challenges faced by city dwellers in multi-family homes, let's navigate the ingenuity of this portable charger that turns any mundane outlet into a powerhouse for your EV. No more range anxiety—just the freedom to roam and a step forward in making green technology a reality for everyone. Join me in this invigorating conversation and let's electrify the path to a more accessible, eco-friendly future.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:15

It's time for the Tech Mobility Show with Ken Chester. Ken is a veteran journalist who doesn't always color between the lines, so here he is, the host with the electrified personality Ken Chester.

Speaker 2: 0:29

Real facts, real opinions, real talk time once again for the Tech Mobility Show, your program for news, information and perspective at the intersection of mobility and technology. I'm Ken Chester and together you and I have plenty to cover during this visit. So let's get started On the docket my impressions behind the wheel of the 2024 Honda Passport SUV, the benefits of a remote power grid. And actor Idris Elba builds a city and more about that later. Add your voice to the conversation, be it to share an opinion, ask a question or even to suggest a topic for future discussion. Call or text the Tech Mobility hotline, that number, 515-872-9793. Or, if you don't want to talk, you can leave me an email directly talk at techmobilityshow, and that is talk at techmobilityshow. And I should add this I read every email you send. I may not be able to get back to you, but I do read them and I thank you in advance for what you're going to send and for those of you who have reached out to me. Thank you. Thank you so very much From the TechMobility News Desk. I found this item in the EV report that I get and I thought it was pretty neat. I wanted to share it with you.

Speaker 2: 1:56

As you know, my number one beef of several with the growing EV movement is that if you live in a multi-family or a multi-apartment dwelling, you typically don't have resources to charge quote-unquote at home and as a result, a whole part of the population about a third of the population in America does not have ready access to EVs where it makes sense for them. Because typically if you live in a multifamily home, chances are also good that you don't have access to a public charger and certainly no charger on site. Because why would a landlord invest that kind of money for two or three slots even if he had them or she had them to offer up? That's kind of expensive and it is an investment that I don't even know how they would get recouped from it, whether they would share in the profits, or maybe they'd rent the parking spaces to the charging company, perhaps, and make some of their money back that way. But even then, how would you decide to charge it? And it would still be dependent on how many families or how many residents actually own an EV that would use it. So that's a gamble that needs to be sorted out.

Speaker 2: 3:23

In the meanwhile there's this outfit called Juice Americas and they launched something called the J-Plus Booster 2 Portable EV Charger, and I found this to be fascinating. And the headline goes the Portable J-Plus Booster 2 EV Charging Station puts an end to anxiety about electric vehicle range. And this company, juice Americas Inc, is a US subsidiary of Swiss-based Juice Technology AG, who considers themselves the market leader in portable chargers for electric vehicles. What makes this work is that you don't need to spend $10,000 to $15,000, even if you had a home to charge it. You don't have to spend $10,000 to $15,000, even if you had a home to charge it. You don't have to buy a home charger. This thing plugs into a regular electrical outlet anywhere. You can charge anywhere with this to an EV. It allows EV owners to simply take their EV charger on the road to charge their EV from any conventional power socket outlet. And this was developed in Switzerland, and the North American version of this charger is now certified and available to North American consumers.

Speaker 2: 4:39

Here's a quote from the founder and CEO of Juice Technology AG. Here's a quote from the founder and CEO of Juice Technology AG. He says that the J-Plus Booster 2 is like a Swiss Army knife of EV charging technology and makes any concerns about vehicle range a thing of the past. I don't know about you, but out here in the Midwest if I owned an EV and I lived rural, even if I had a home where I could charge it and I'm traveling all over the place, you better believe I would probably have one of these in my vehicle, because you just never know. And being able to be somewhere where the charging public chargers are not is a plus.

Speaker 2: 5:18

Weighing in a little over two pounds, it's made from solid, military grade aluminum. The in-cable control box is so robust that even if run over by a tank, it still suffers no damage. Good to know, but a tank who's got a tank? Just asking. The included accessories assortment offers eight NEMA-compliant adapter plugs that are easily attached via the J-Plus connector to use this proprietary plug interface. In other words, no matter what kind of plug you encounter, chances are this thing has an adapter that will work for you. The patented J-Plus connector is based on a proven aerospace engineering and, like the J-Plus booster, is both spray, waterproof and dustproof. The adapter plugs are coated so that the right charging power is set to be fully automatic at the socket outlet according to the available socket input current.

Speaker 2: 6:13

Now let's be honest, this is not high-speed, fast charging. It is not. However, if you're in a place where chargers are not, this offers you the next best thing to making sure that you don't run out. If you're near electricity any kind of way, you can plug in. Okay, it may take an hour or two to get enough charge to get to where you want to go, but it beats being stranded, kind of like having an extra gas can in the vehicle or making sure that you have a serviceable spare tire Either one, and in most cases, this is good to have A little more information. So what they're saying is users ideally need only four to six hours to fully charge a vehicle's battery, depending on the battery's pack size. And again, I tell you what they're talking about this would be a level two charger, not level three. The level threes are the fast ones, but again, this gives you the ability to charge your vehicle in places where chargers are not.

Speaker 2: 7:13

So if you are way far away from the charging network or that you find yourself regularly far away and even though you planned your trip, you came up short, either because you made a side trip, or you were packed heavier, or the weather was colder, you didn't get the range you thought you needed. This is an excellent backup for that, and even if you live in the city, if you've got access to a plug, you can still charge your vehicle curbside. So, again, it is an option. Is it the most ideal option? No, but it's an option for somebody thinking about owning an EV or somebody, if you live in rural America, like we are, that want the security of a backup, just in case that I need to be able to plug in somewhere and charge my vehicle and there are no chargers of any kind nearby. What do I do? So there's that this J plus Celsius temperature sensor, installed directly to plug pins, protects the socket outlets against overheating, so you don't have that problem. The residual current device integrated into it for fault current protection eliminates the need to install any expensive DC residential current device in the home, saving users considerable extra expense. Consider this. Maybe you don't want to spend the $10,000 to $15,000 usually for a home charger. You can still use this in your garage. Still works. Use this in your garage. Still works.

Speaker 2: 8:47

Portable charging stations enable drivers to charge their electric cars wherever they park habitually for extended periods of time during the day, at the workplace or nights at home. Consider this even at work. If you've got access to a plug, you can plug this in. Even if your company doesn't support any kind of EV charging, it's still an option for you. I like this.

Speaker 2: 9:09

Again, you know everybody's talking about oh there's. You know availability. Oh, you know the charging network isn't what it is and I've got issues. This is an option. Again, I would consider it a last choice option. It's not the ideal option, but it's an option. And they show up to eight different adapters, which means, depending on the power plug that you encounter, chances are this has got an adapter that will make it work. And again, I keep saying no, this is not level three. This is not going to cure all your problems. This is not a first choice adapter. It's for those situations and those times you find yourself miles from anywhere access to electricity but not an EV charging station and you need something to get home. If for no other reason, it adds maybe 50, 100 miles of security. You can get that in an hour, hour and a half, so that works for you. I drive the 2024 Honda Passport SUV and share my impressions. You are listening to the Tech Mobility Show.

Speaker 3: 10:23

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Speaker 2: 10:54

Social media is the main place to be these days, and we are no exception. I'm Ken Chester of the Tech Mobility Show. If you enjoy my program, then you will also enjoy my weekly Facebook videos, from my latest vehicle reviews to timely commentary of a variety of mobility and technology-related topics. These short features are designed to inform and delight. You. Be sure to watch, like and follow us on Facebook. You can find us by typing the Tech Mobility Show in the search bar. Be sure to subscribe to our Facebook page. Social media is the place to be these days, and we're no exception. I'm Ken Chester of the Tech Mobility Show. If you enjoy my program, then you will also enjoy my weekly Instagram videos, from the latest vehicle reviews to timely commentary on a variety of mobility and technology-related topics. These short features are designed to inform and delight. You Be sure to watch, like and follow us on Instagram. You can find us by typing the Tech Mobility Show in the search bar.

Speaker 2: 11:50

For those of you that listen to podcasts, we have just the one for you. Hi, I'm Ken Chester. Tech Mobility Topics is a podcast where I upload topic-specific videos each week. Shorter than a full show. These bite-sized programs are just the thing, particularly if you're interested in a particular topic covered on the weekly radio show, from Apple Podcasts to iHeartRadio and many podcast platforms in between, we got you covered. Just enter Tech Mobility Topics in the search bar, wherever you listen to podcasts.

Speaker 3: 12:24

Are your friends car guys. Car guys talk horsepower, they talk acceleration, they talk big fat tires. Now why not invite your pals over and give them something to really talk about?

Speaker 2: 12:49

Introducing the four-wheel drive Passport from Honda? Okay, I'm a car guy and to answer that question, no, we don't. And in fact, the car guys would take one look at the Passport and say, oh hey, nice Isuzu Rodeo, which is what it was. The Honda Passport SUV I consider a two-part act in three chapters. The Passport was originally introduced to the marketplace by the Japanese automaker in 1993 as a 1994 model. The first Passport, as I just mentioned, was actually a badge-engineered Isuzu Rodeo SUV, a methodology that Honda continues to use when seeking a low-cost, first-product way into a specific market segment. In this way, honda gains valuable market intelligence while developing its own product organically. The rebadged Isuzu Rodeo was marketed to Honda dealers over two generations until 2002. At that time, the first Passport was replaced in the Honda lineup by the automaker's own SUV, the Pilot. The Pilot nameplate was resurrected as a Honda-built, us-designed two-row crossover SUV at the Los Angeles Auto Show in 2018 as a 2019 model Now manufactured by the automaker at its Lincoln, Alabama facility. The third generation Passport is actually based on the Pilot SUV Interesting turnabout there. Although it's shorter in overall length and loses the Pilot's third row of seats. Honda's positioned the new Passport between the smaller CR-V and the larger Pilot in its model lineup, available in three trim levels. Power for the Passport is generated by Honda's tried-and-true 3.5 gasoline V6 engine that makes 280 horsepower and 262 foot-pounds of torque. Energy is communicated through all four drive wheels via a 9-speed automatic transmission with shift-by-wire and steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. Epa fuel economy numbers are 19 city 24. Highway. Cargo capacity is 100.8 cubic feet. Towing capacity is 5,000 pounds. In 2022, honda introduced its Trail Sport models, with the first being available on the Passport. Based on the EXL trim level. The Passport Trail Sport comes standard with an all-wheel drive system that is tuned for off-road use. Aggressively styled tires, rugged exterior styling, synthetic leather-trimmed interior and all-weather front and rear floor mats complete the experience, and Honda wanted me to tell you this that also for 2024, they added they beefed up with skid plates underneath those critical areas like the oil pan and transmission, just on the trail support.

Speaker 2: 15:49

Here's what I liked about the vehicle and, honestly, where do I even start? Perhaps with the fact that the Passport comes equipped with five drive modes Normal snow I said five, I mean four, I'm sorry Normal snow, mud and sand. That underway it's smooth and car-like and the overall build is solid and quiet and, like so many Honda crossover SUVs that I have driven, the Passport delivers a comfortable, car-like ride and, speaking of car-like inside the passenger cabin, the driver enjoys displays, controls and switchgear that are straightforward and easy to use. Occupants will find plenty of nooks and crannies for the various stuff that people carry with them in the daily dispatch. Rear seating is tricked too, with wide door openings, fore and aft adjustments to optimize both second row legroom and or cargo hauling, a 60-40 power fold-down split rear seat for the same, and USB ports both front and rear. And an added bonus and you know how I feel about this fog lights and a traditional sunroof Fog lights. I actually have fog lights. I'm very happy about that and, by the way, I should mention this not just heated seats, but I have a heated steering wheel, which is a big deal for me, because I could never understand why you would have heated seats and not a heated steering wheel. But I digress, but we're good here.

Speaker 2: 17:15

Here's what I didn't like about the vehicle the lack of hand grips at each door to facilitate entry and exit, because not all of us are as nimble as we used to be. That really helps. And despite the wide door openings, backseat passengers will have to navigate a high step in height. And while it will be rare that you should ever need to raise the engine hood of your honda passport, know this that it's made of very heavy steel. Yeah, yeah, you need to be careful when you lift that thing. And although the spare tire is accessible from inside the vehicle, yay, its location near the center of the vehicle adds to the complexity of using it if and when you need to, not, yay, the power liftgate is not height adjustable.

Speaker 2: 18:00

Okay, all right, look I'm sure. Okay, don't judge me. Having it to be height adjustable is a really nice thing. Yes, kia and hyundai spoiled me where you can actually adjust the height to anything, just infinite. And even on my chevy equinox you can go full or three-quarter, and that helps. Ask my wife, she'll tell you she really liked that.

Speaker 2: 18:23

There are no vented seats in the front or second row. I'm sorry, I didn't know if it was heated. Yeah, let me start over because I can't read. Save my Life here. There are no vented seats in the front and the second row seats aren't even heated. That's not okay.

Speaker 2: 18:38

I was less than impressed with the fuel economy numbers. Let me explain why. Yes, you're going to love how that V6 drives. It's powerful and it's responsive. You're going to love how that V6 drives. It's powerful and it's responsive and it's so smooth. But you know what? 24 miles to the gallon, though.

Speaker 2: 18:55

Really, today, at the very least, this thing should be a hybrid. At the very least I should be getting north of 30. Even my Equinox gets 30, plus. Of course, it's not as fast as the Passport, I got to tell you. But you know, yeah, I want my cake and I want to eat it too. Just saying Honda. Finally and this is more a like to have than a critique I'd like a heads up display, not fussing, just asking.

Speaker 2: 19:22

So here's the bottom line. Overall, the Honda Passport is almost perfect for those who want the benefits of a crossover SUV, but without the heft or truck-like attributes. So, basically, if you want all the functionality of an SUV but you ain't down with the truck hide or ride or something, you want that car-like ride this is your vehicle. It's more maneuverable and more user-friendly than the larger Pilot, but yet gives you a lot of the same benefits. And yeah, you know, you have to judge it for yourself. I've got my list of what I'm going to fuss about, but you know you may find that you're totally fine with it and really honestly, truly, that's okay.

Speaker 2: 20:03

The base manufacturer suggested retail price for the 2024 Honda Passport Crossover SUV starts from $41,900 for the EX-L and up to $47,970 for the Black Edition. Destination charges add $1,375. Here's the MSRP as tested. I drove the 2024 Honda Passport Trail Sport with the following extra cost options Only one the exterior radiant red metallic paint. That's it. Total cost of the options came to $455. Total MSRP, including options and extra cost items, came to $46,330, which really puts you at the low to medium end of things.

Speaker 2: 20:50

How do you help remote communities maintain power in extreme weather? That's next. This is the Tech Mobility Show. Do you listen to podcasts? Seems that most people do. Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. If you've missed any of our weekly episodes on the radio, our podcast is a great way to listen. You can find the Tech Mobility Podcast just about anywhere you can enjoy podcasts. Be sure to follow us From Apple Podcasts, iheart Radio and many platforms in between. We are there. Just enter the Tech Mobility Podcast in the search bar. Wherever you listen to podcasts, social media, it's the place to be and we're no exception. Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. Several times a week I post to TikTok several of the topics that I cover on my weekly radio show. It's another way to keep up on mobility, technology news and information. I've built quite a library of short videos for your viewing. Thanks for watching.

Speaker 2: 22:05

Let me ask you a question how do electric utilities economically prepare for the impact of extreme weather that is occurring more often and more extreme, especially when it comes to small rural communities in their service area? We've talked about this before. I want to give you another example. It's called distributed energy solutions and it may well be the answer in a growing variety of situations. This is topic B. On average, the transmission plant, that is, those long distance high voltage facilities that you see crisscrossing the countryside. On average, 60% of US distribution lines are passing their 50-year life expectancy, meaning grid reliability is at a greater risk than ever. This is coming from the electrical industry publication T&D World.

Speaker 2: 23:01

What do you do when a transmission line to a remote rural community gets damaged and to rebuild it is almost cost prohibitive? What do you do for that community to help them get power restored? If you are Pacific Gas and Electric, your answer is a combination of renewable energy, battery storage and a propane-operated generator, and they're using this in places in lieu of restoring an expensive transmission line that would cost them literally millions of dollars a mile to rebuild, and I think you're going to see more of this. They give a case in the case of a community that was damaged by fire in 2019. They call it Priceburg, california, and at Priceburg they had a transmission line to the remote community that covered some pretty rough terrain. It was expensive to build it the first time. To rebuild this damaged transmission line and most likely have to upgrade it, was cost prohibitive. It couldn't make that happen financially, so they hooked up with a company called BoxPower, whose software and hardware solutions focus on optimizing the performance and accelerating the deployment of solar plus storage microgrids. In the case, when they say plus, they're looking at solar plus battery storage plus a propane-operated generator.

Speaker 2: 24:36

Now what does that do? It allows power for the most part, to be renewable, so, no matter what happens with weather or damage or fire or whatever, they don't lose power. And in case you were wondering because I know you heard the propane part how much of this is actually renewable? They're bragging in the installations where this is happening 89% to 90% plus renewable energy. That propane generator only kicks in when the sun isn't shining or prolonged periods when the renewable stuff doesn't generate enough wattage to run what they need to run. This could very well be the answer needed, and for a long time the hub and spoke system of commercial electricity was doomed anyway. It was great when they were building it out.

Speaker 2: 25:31

But if you think about it, if you think about centralized power plants, from the power plant you have to build a high voltage line, and what I mean by high voltage we're talking hundreds of thousands of volts to a series of substations that break it down into lower power to feed into the communities. But it's still not usable power when it gets to street level, from transmission lines to distribution lines, which is what they call when you see in your neighborhood electricity, those are distribution lines. It's still too high to use. Those are distribution lines. It's still too high to use. That is why you see either pole-mounted or ground-mounted transformers that break that down into electricity you can use in your home. You can't just tap into the line, even in front of your house, and run it into your house without running it through some sort of transformer. You'd burn your house down, with most of these facilities cost prohibitive for most utilities.

Speaker 2: 26:28

Plus the growing demand for electricity, which we've covered on this program in past, shows the utilities are at a crossroads. Like the auto industry, the electrical industry is capital intensive. That means just to provide service each and every day. They're spending millions and billions of dollars just in maintenance and upgrades, not overhauls, not modernization, just trying to keep up with the grid as it is Now. Add in top of that growing electrical vehicles coming. Where are they going to hit the fact that a lot of the grid needs to be replaced anyway? And that's just not transmission lines, that's just not distribution lines.

Speaker 2: 27:14

Think substations, transformers, all of that stuff that controls the flow of electricity. Not only does it have to be upgraded, it needs to be brought into the 21st century. Consider this Most of this plant was built mid-last century. Let that sink in. Yeah, let that sink in. So a lot of this stuff isn't even current or computerized. So there's that Even if they didn't have to replace it, there's still the upgrades to modernize.

Speaker 2: 27:45

I think you're going to see, particularly in the upper Midwest perhaps, and places where transmission lines no longer make sense and for small to medium applications, distributed power solutions might be the best way to go. Because, if you can combine, think about this. Out here in the Midwest, in Iowa particularly, we have wind farms, tons of wind farms. If you go north of here, you've got solar. Consider an application where maybe even a local co-op utility says you know what? We've got a wind farm within 10 miles of this little town. If we put in a battery or energy storage facility and we add solar to it, we got wind, we got solar, we got storage. And then we can do the 10 miles into the community or five miles into the community and serve that community without having to build a brand new long distance transmission line from a power plant generating electricity somewhere, either using natural gas or God forbid still coal and coal's still king.

Speaker 2: 28:55

Because we talked about that on this program a few weeks ago, where we talked about railroads and their number one commodity when it comes to hauling commodities two to one is still coal and most of that coal is going to power plants. Still, even after all this time, coal still king. Think about this for a minute If the utilities could avoid the cost of replacing all those transmission lines high voltage transmission lines which you've got to get approvals. You can't build them overnight. They take time to plan, engineer, build, modernize and put into practice. And realizing that these lines also may cross ecologically sensitive areas, pg&e had to change because a number of their lines sit in what they call high-risk fire areas. They had to get away from them. They didn't have a choice. They talked about some astronomical amount of miles. In fact, in California alone, 75,000 miles of overhead lines exist in high-fire threat districts. They had to make a change. Going this way Also improves the Reliance and resiliency Of the local grid. So everybody wins. Even when this Bryceburg was surrounded by fire, they never lost power.

Speaker 2: 30:19

How would you like to live on an island With actor Idris Elba? He's building a city. We are the Tech Mobility Show. To live on an island with actor Idris Elba? He's building a city. Climb forms at the right. We are the Tech Mobility Show. To learn more about the Tech Mobility Show, start by visiting our website.

Speaker 2: 30:33

Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. The website is a treasure trove of information about me and the show, as well as where to find it on the radio across the country. Keep up with the happenings at the Tech Mobility Show by visiting techmobilityshow. That's techmobilityshow. You can also drop us a line at talk at techmobilityshow. Did you know that Tech Mobility has a YouTube channel? Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. Each week I upload a few short videos of some of the hot topics that I cover during my weekly radio program. I've designed these videos to be informative and entertaining. It's another way to keep up on current mobility and technology news and information. Be sure to watch, like and subscribe to my channel. That's the Tech Mobility Show on YouTube. Check it out to my channel.

Speaker 3: 31:25

That's the Tech Mobility Show on YouTube. Check it out. Are you tired of juggling multiple apps and platforms for meetings, webinars and staying connected? Look no further than AONmeetingscom, the all-in-one browser-based platform that does it all. With AON Meetings, you can effortlessly communicate with clients, host virtual meetings and webinars and stay in touch with family and friends all in one place and for one price. Here's the best part you can enjoy a 30-day free trial. It's time to simplify your life and boost your productivity. Aonmeetingscom, where innovation meets connection. Get started today and revolutionize the way you communicate.

Speaker 2: 31:59

Social media is the place to be these days, and we're no exception. I'm Ken Chester of the Tech Mobility Show. If you enjoy my program, then you will also enjoy my weekly Instagram videos, from the latest vehicle reviews to timely commentary on a variety of mobility and technology-related topics. These short features are designed to inform and delight you. Be sure to watch, like and follow us on Instagram. You can find us by typing the Tech Mobility Show in the search bar.

Speaker 2: 32:29

He's an English actor, rapper, singer and DJ who, over the last 10 years of his more than 20 years in the spotlight, have wowed Americans in a series of roles both on the big and small screen. You might not remember his name, but you do remember his cool, intense yet calm street swagger. His name is Idris Elba and, in case you're interested, he's the major force in the building of a smart, eco-dynamic city. And, yeah, the line forms to the right. This is Topic C. Actors through the years have lent their voice and support to a multitude of causes, activities, projects, you name it. It's not too often that a man of color, be he British, be he English, gets into this kind of project, which I thought was really cool, which is why I wanted to share it with you, because they're not just building a city, they're looking at building a smart eco-city off the coast of Sierra Leone. In fact, the island, sherbro Island, is a two-hour boat trip off the coast of Sierra Leone. But here's the cool part he plans to collaborate with the government in the West African country of Sierra Leone to develop Sherbro Island, a rich coastal paradise the actor aims to elevate into an economically friendly smart city where residents and tourists can live and thrive, and I think that's a pretty cool idea. And he's talking to the Guardian paper out of London. Never in my lifetime would I have thought that I could build a foundation for a new smart city. I'm qualified to dream big. In case you don't know, sherbro Island is a small island off the coast of Sierra Leone with over 19 miles of beachfront and is home to 40,000 locals. And according to Elba, the island was historically used as a port for the transatlantic slave trade and was a point of no return where enslaved Africans would be forced to leave the continent for the new world. Current plans are to develop the island and they started. A way is bringing tourism, but Elba's dreaming bigger and hoping to change the way Africa is viewed globally. It started as tourism, he said, but now we're building a smart, ecodynamic city.

Speaker 2: 34:57

I want that to sink in for a minute. So many ways people can spend their money in this world, but to actually forward a way to bring some sort of improvement, not only to the residents of that island, but an opportunity for folks for all ever. Hey, we can start with a clean piece of paper here and build something really neat, really cool. Also, it also goes to share about the power of connections, and I've told this to a lot of people. Regardless of who you are if I might, diverse for a minute we all have a spear of influence. In this case, a kid he grew up and used to DJ with in London reached out to him and they formed this investment company and they're starting to do this. I think it's always good when you can be part of the solution and not part of the problem, and nowadays we could use a little more solution and a little less problem, because it's easy to criticize, it's easy to tear down, it's tough to say you know what. This is a problem, but here's my proposal for a solution to that problem. And you know what, regardless of where we are in the world. We all can use a little more problem solving and a little less finger pointing. Just saying let me continue here. Elbis company Just saying Let me continue here. Elbis Company Sherbro Alliance Partners intends to collaborate closely with government officials of the country and establish a special economic zone aimed at stimulating growth on the island.

Speaker 2: 36:33

And, as I mentioned earlier, the actor was brought into the project by Siaka Stevens, the grandson of the formerly Sierra Leone president of the same name. The pair are childhood friends, grew up together in London and used to DJ together. I have a friend like that and if he's listening, don, my friend is. We go back. Oh, my 55 years. It's amazing who you meet in fourth grade Although Don says we met in third grade, but okay, we met in the late 1960s have been friends for all that. My best friend is a Christian filmmaker now and it was really cool because we got a chance to go down there and watch what he was doing.

Speaker 2: 37:13

But I just, I'm just so thrilled because you know, it's easy to talk, it's easy to get caught up and a lot of the negativity that's in the news today, even everything that crosses my desk with climate change, and this is wrong and that is wrong. You know. I thought you could use some good news and maybe add another place in your bucket list that you need to visit, which is no big deal, but you know what Life is short. You should enjoy yourself and the fact that they're looking to do this and they're working to put it together and it's going to benefit a lot of people. That works. Let me add this for your consideration They've agreed to a deal with the energy company Occupus to build Sierra Leone's first wind farm on the island, which lacks main electricity and is a two-hour ferry trip from the mainland Two hours.

Speaker 2: 38:07

Alba said a sustainable approach to developing the project will be central throughout the development. I wonder what that would look like. I'm kind of excited because I think it would really really be cool. The character of the island hopefully, will remain intact. It's a beautiful green part of the world and we don't want to disturb that. He said Also, it's about being self-reliant. It's about bringing in an economy that feeds itself and has growth potential, and he's very keen to reframe the way Africa is viewed as an aid model.

Speaker 2: 38:39

This opportunity is completely different. He and his childhood partner have three key principles for the project. Among them is developing based on African culture, values and principles which prioritize community collaboration and respect for nature. They also said they plan to design the infrastructure in a way that is adaptable to changing social, economic and environmental conditions and to follow eco-city principles, such as building in a way that is environmentally friendly, energy efficient and resilient to climate change. Stevens said that development on the island will be fueled by clean energy sources. They've also reached out to residents currently on the island and they visited the island several times.

Speaker 2: 39:22

This is a thing. Imagine what you could do with the money and a literal clean sheet of paper to improve the lives of the people who live there, as well as make this an opportunity for other people to enjoy both an economic engine and an ecological benefit for everybody around. Also, it would be interesting to see how they deal with climate change. It being an island, I don't know what the altitude is of the island base and if that's going to be an issue with the way everything's going right now, so that would be good to know as they get into this project, to see how they can protect the island from that while still meeting all their goals from an ecological and renewable energy standpoint. I'm excited. I'll have to keep you apprised at how it goes and you know if they get to a point where it's open for business. It's a project that will take years and maybe decades. That brings us to the end of our visit. Be sure to join me again, right here next time.

Speaker 1: 40:22

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Speaker 2: 40:43

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Speaker 2: 42:15

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