Kiribati's dependency on imported diesel
Kiribati, a nation of 33 coral atolls in the central Pacific Ocean, is significantly reliant on imported diesel for its electricity, particularly in the capital, Tarawa. Approximately 85% of the country's energy is generated from fossil fuels, with diesel generators powering daily household and business needs. This dependency has been compounded by high transportation costs due to Kiribati's remoteness, as well as rising prices for gas and kerosene, which have made these fuels less accessible for low-income families. In response to this challenge, the Kiribati government has adopted a national energy policy focused on renewable energy solutions, emphasizing solar power development, especially on outlying atolls that lack centralized energy services. As of 2020, solar energy contributed around 15% of the total energy mix, while efforts are ongoing to explore other renewable sources, such as wind energy and the use of coconuts as biofuel. The nation's commitment to improving its energy landscape reflects a broader goal of achieving sustainable development and energy security amid the pressing challenges posed by climate change and fluctuating oil prices.
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Kiribati's dependency on imported diesel
Official Name: Republic of Kiribati.
Summary: Kiribati is a country of scattered atolls in the Pacific Ocean that depends heavily on imported diesel for electricity generation but is promoting and building solar power units in outlying atolls that lack centralized modern energy services.
Kiribati comprises 33 coral atolls located in the Pacific Ocean straddling the equator, positioned about halfway between Australia and Hawaii. These atolls are arranged into three island groups: the Gilbert Islands, Phoenix Islands, and Line Islands. The scattered atolls rise a few meters above sea level, creating a total landmass of 811 square kilometers spread over 2.1 million square miles (3.5 million square kilometers) of ocean. Of the 33 atolls, 21 are inhabited, with approximately 58 percent of the nation’s estimated population of 114,189 living in the capital of Tarawa as of 2022. Generators fueled by imported diesel dominate the energy sector on the heavily populated Tarawa atoll. Energy on the outlying atolls depends on locally sourced biomass and increasingly on solar power generation. There is an as yet undeveloped potential for wind energy. Kiribati’s national energy policy, adopted in 2009, seeks to address the country’s energy needs through renewable and sustainable options. Kiribati’s greenhouse gas emissions from energy usage are minimal, but the country could be severely impacted if global climate change causes sea levels to rise.
Approximately 58 percent of Kiribati’s population lives in the capital Tarawa. Tarawa’s electricity comes from diesel generators powered by imported fossil fuels. Kiribati has minimal industrial activity; the diesel power generation is for everyday household and business energy needs. The rising cost of gas and kerosene makes these fuels inaccessible to low-income families, who then for their cooking needs turn to local biomass, a limited resource on the heavily populated Tarawa. Kiribati’s remoteness makes the transportation costs of imported fossil fuels high and leaves Kiribati more vulnerable to fluctuating high oil prices. Importing fossil fuels in bulk would help reduce cost, but Kiribati lacks adequate long-term storage.
Natural Resources
In May 2009, the government of Kiribati adopted a national energy policy that focuses on long-term sustainable energy strategies to ensure energy security, economic growth, and livelihood improvements. This policy calls for affordable and reliable renewable energy to achieve sustainable development in Kiribati. However, Kiribati is dependent on foreign donor assistance to improve and expand its energy sector, whether that be improving diesel generators or expanding access to photovoltaic (PV) home systems. The country has an installed generating capacity of 11,000 kilowatt-hours in 2020 and consumed 25.127 million kilowatt-hours in 2019. About 85 percent of the country's energy was generated by fossil fuels. Of the types of renewable energy sources, only solar power made a significant contribution (15 percent).
Bibliography
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