Renewable energy programmes in the South Pacific – Are these a solution to dependency?

Abstract

Like many small island states, a number of Pacific Island countries (PICs) have ambitious renewable energy programmes in place. In some cases, the programmes include the objective of electricity generated from “100% renewable energy” by 2020 or 2025. The motivations for these ambitious programmes are commendable: to reduce dependency on imported oil fuels and to be seen to contribute towards reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.The paper reviews renewable electricity generation policy and programmes in four PICs – Cook Islands, Niue, Tonga and Tuvalu – and implementation of the programmes to date. To illustrate the broader relevance of the issue, these programmes are compared with those of Maldives and Seychelles. Concerns identified include the ambitious goals and almost total reliance on solar photo-voltaic (PV) technology to supply electricity in small and remote islands. Our central argument is that dependency on oil imports will be replaced with dependency on technical support given the complex nature of PV technology compared with diesel particularly where high PV fractions are proposed. The lack of interest in biofuel, particularly coconut oil, is seen as a missed opportunity to use an endogenous energy resource that could form a useful part of the renewable energy mix.