Four new solar-power projects have been announced for Pacific Island nations totalling 1.8MW of clean energy. The projects, which will begin construction in Fiji, Tuvalu, Kiribati and Vanuatu, will be financed under the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development’s US$50 million UAE-Pacific Partnership fund.
The Pacific Islands have already benefited from the same Abu Dhabi renewable energy company when in November 2013 the La’a Lahi ‘Big Sun’ solar plant in Tonga was commissioned. Samoa also received their first wind farm in August 2014, both projects being financed through the UAE-Pacific Partnership Fund.
The projects include a 550kW installation across three islands in Fiji, 350kW on Funafuti Island in Tuvalu, 400 kW in Tarawa in Kiribati and 501 kW in Port Vila, Vanuatu.
“Access to clean energy is a pathway toward economic and social development,” said Dr. Ahmad Belhoul, CEO of Masdar. “For Pacific islands, which rely on imported fuel for electricity generation, renewable energy provides a viable alternative. In fact, wind and solar power projects deliver immediate savings, while underpinning long-term energy security.”
His Excellency Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, director-general of the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development said: “Today, renewables are cost-effective and offer real solutions for growth across the Pacific.”
