The Australian government has announced its first project through it $75 million (USD 47 million) Pacific and Timor-Leste off-grid renewable energy investment fund, RENew Pacific, which aims to provide clean energy to Solomon Islands’ remote communities.
For the benefit of over 81,000 residents that access the Atoifi Adventist Hospital in the Eastern Malaita province, the two-year project will see a solar hybrid system installed to ensure reliable 24/7 electricity is supplied.
The life changing technology will improve critical medical services, including emergency care and maternity, and power the hospital’s nursing school, which trains over half the country’s nurses.
Atoifi Adventist Hospital Board Community Representative Lester Asugeni said reliable electricity will be a game-changer for the hospital.
“With 24-hour solar power, we can ensure safer surgeries, consistent vaccine refrigeration and uninterrupted maternity care, directly improving the health outcomes for the 80,000 people we serve,” Asugeni said.
“This project, made possible through the Australian government’s REnew Pacific program, is a life-saving investment in our community’s future.”
Solar hybrid systems at the Goldie College in Western Province and Sir Dudley Tuti College in Isabel Province, will enable extended learning hours, safer campuses and better supervision for over 1,400 students and staff.
Goldie College Principal Deidre Zeke said for years the students have faced significant challenges due to limited electricity access.
“The REnew Pacific solar hybrid system will empower our students with safer dormitories, extended study hours and access to digital learning tools. It is a monumental step toward a brighter future for education in Solomon Islands,” Zeke said.
The project will also reduce reliance of these facilities on fossil fuels and contribute to Solomon Islands’ national renewable energy, climate change and development ambitions, which like other Pacific Island Countries (PICs) such as Fiji and Vanuatu, have targets of 100% renewable energy electricity generation by 2030.
Led by local solar energy company Superfly, its Director Gavin Pereira said the project represents a transformative shift for the hospital and colleges.
“Through this REnew Pacific project, we’re not just installing solar systems, we’re building long-term energy resilience, lowering operational costs and improving essential services for thousands of people in remote Solomon Islands communities,” Pereira said.
REnew Pacific is part of the Pacific Climate Infrastructure Financing Partnership (PCIFP), a $350 million initiative for climate infrastructure in the region.
The five-year program is part of the government’s Australian infrastructure financing facility (AIFF) for the Pacific and implemented by USA-headquartered development advisory firm, Palladium Group.
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