Vanuatu saves electricity bill and earns revenue from new solar energy project

Vanuatu has saved VT1.4 million (just over US$13,000) in five months electricity bill from the new solar panel system funded by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

In addition, the country made VT900, 000 (US$8,400) revenue from the sale of power since November last year when the solar panel system was commissioned.

Ham Lini, minister responsible for climate change and energy was happy to announce that the UAE renewable energy project has made a lot of difference in the lives of the people of Vanuatu in meeting their energy needs.

He thanked government officials for ‘making this choice of investment.’

“The Government of Vanuatu through the Department of Energy under the Ministry of Climate Change, endorsed the National Energy Road Map (NERM) in 2013 which sets forth the priority projects and programmes for energy development in Vanuatu. One of these priorities is to increase the share of renewable energy in Vanuatu’s energy mix for power generation.”

A number of renewable projects have been implemented in both urban and rural areas with an aim of achieving 100 percent renewable energy by 2030.

Minister Lini said the new solar power system is contributing to Vanuatu’s national energy roadmap targets.

Vanuatu is among five Pacific countries, including Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa and Tuvalu to benefit from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) partnership Fund. The allocation of US$50million UAE-Pacific Partnership Fund helped to deploy Renewable Energy Projects, with grant financing from Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD).

Vanuatu was allocated US$5 million to construct up to 767 Kilowatt of Grid Connected Solar PV at two locations in Port Vila, at the Ministry of Climate Change Building (with 125kW) and the National Parliament Complex (with 315kW). This translates to approximately 340,000 Litres per annum of imported diesel fuel being saved.

“The UAE supported Grid Connected Solar PV Project has not only contributed towards achieving the targets of our National Energy Road Map. It also provides some income to the Government, offsetting their electricity costs and provides surplus budget which can be used to extend additional services needed to the people of Vanuatu, said Lini.
                   
Source: PACNEWS