399 Fiji communities targeted for solar power

Solar power is being rolled out to rural and maritime communities in Fiji, with 399 targeted under the Fiji Rural Electrification Fund, while about 1.5 million people across the Pacific still have no grid access.

This was highlighted by UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) Deputy Resident Representative Abduvakkos Abdurahmanov in Nadi yesterday.

Mr Abdurahmanov said the old way of moving “from one village to another, one project, one donor” was too slow and costly.

Villages are now being grouped into clusters. Early studies are done in 75 communities, and 22 priority sites prepared.

The first three sites will support more than 1000 people with about 250 households.

They will cut about 2900 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. Government earlier named Yacata, Yadrana and Kioa as Phase One sites.

“Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Korea provided about $9.3 million in initial financing,” Mr Abdurahmanov said.

Minister for Public Works Transport and Meteorological Services Ro Filipe Tuisawau said yesterday “…. a project serving 60 to 80 households on a remote island may be socially essential, economically transformative”.

Rural electrification, he said, “… is investment in rural development”.

Mr Abdurahmanov said power should let farmers and fishers refrigerate, dry and store produce, and keep health centres and digital classrooms running.

“It’s not about the number of solar panels installed... it’s about what comes after,” he said.

He warned that upkeep was the real test.

“The harder question is not only how to install the energy system, but also the maintenance,” he said.

“UNDP hopes to set up similar arrangements in Tuvalu and Vanuatu, but every context still has its nuances,” he said.