The Pacific Islands Devel­opment Forum director of island resilience Viliame Kasanawaqa said two solar-pow­ered charging stations for elec­tric taxis and buses were being established and plans were to have them rolled out by the end of this year.

A similar joint venture by two separate companies Electric As­sets and Techno Fiji PTE Ltd was done in March where an agree­ment was signed between the two to install solar-powered charging stations for electrical vehicles to help Fiji’s climate fight.

Mr Kasanawaqa said this spe­cific project was one of the many under the PIDF’s decade for sus­tainable transport from 2020 to 2030.

He said before the project be­gan, a transport forum between the PIDF and stakeholders such as the Land Transport Authority, Uni­versity of the South Pacific, Global Green Institute and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport to name a few was held in 2018.

He said one charging station would be set up at the PIDF office in Suva and the second one by part­ner organisation Leaf Pte Limited at the President’s residence for the public to view as part of the initia­tive for the “Solarization of Head of State Residences of PIDF mem­ber countries.

This initiative involves installing solar power at the official residenc­es of leaders in small island devel­oping states.

“The partners are setting up charging stations, we are also now establishing our site in Suva that’s going to be fully powered by solar and in that facility will also have charging stations for whatever elec­tric vehicle that would like to come and charge,” he said.

He said it was important to lever­age the partnership in the private sector as it drove innovation.

“There are a few things we’re look­ing at, that’s one in terms of taxis, or immobility.

“The other one we’re look­ing at is electric buses, so we’re working with another partner to look at Denarau to Nadi Air­port, short routes,” he said.