Pirates of the Caribbean star Johnny Depp has taken his movie career a bit too seriously. In 2005, after making the popular Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl he purchased a 35-acre Caribbean Island for $3 million.
But, what’s your own private island without a little treasure on it? That’s what Depp was thinking when he enlisted our old friend Mike Strizki to help him install solar and hydrogen power on his island home. Mr. Strizki, if you’ll remember put up the first solar / hydrogen home in New Jersey and here’s even a fine video explaining how his home works.
When built, the system will use solar panels for the main power source. Then too much energy is produced, the excess will be stored as hydrogen, most likely in large 1,000 gallon propane tanks. As needed the hydrogen will be fed through a fuel cell to create electricity, such as at night or in winter.
It isn’t easy for celebrities to be both decadent and green now days. Depp has obviously stepped in something good this time. While other celebrities are stepping out of fuel cell vehicles for one night to walk the red carpet, Depp is now both talking the talk and walking the walk around his environmentally-friendly fantasy island.
So, the lesson to other celebrities is this: there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and that pot is called free, renewable energy. I can see residential wind turbines popping up all over Beverly Hills just about now. Okay, maybe now. Now? Okay, I won’t hold my breath. But, at least it’s good to know that some Hollywood Star is at the forefront of reducing his carbon footprint, even if it is partly for show and partly for go.