Solomon Islands' clean energy sector
The clean energy sector in the Solomon Islands is emerging, with several initiatives showing promise despite facing significant challenges. The country, composed of 992 islands in Melanesia, has a population of approximately 726,799, with about 76% having access to electricity. Currently, the majority of electricity—over 93%—is generated from diesel, making the islands heavily reliant on imported fossil fuels. However, there is a growing recognition of the potential for renewable energy sources.
Notable projects include a government-backed 20-megawatt hydropower initiative on the Tina River, which aims to lower the high electricity costs faced by residents. Additionally, the Pacific Micro Energy Service Companies (PMESCO) project has been instrumental in promoting solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in rural areas, leading to increased adoption of solar technology. While solar energy currently represents only 2.7% of the total electricity generation capacity, the government has taken steps to encourage clean energy development, including tax exemptions for solar imports.
With ambitious goals of achieving 100% electricity access and zero emissions by 2050, the Solomon Islands are focusing on restructuring their electrical grid and enhancing energy efficiency, alongside seeking innovative funding mechanisms and promoting electric mobility.
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Solomon Islands' clean energy sector
Official Name: Solomon Islands.
Summary: While the clean energy sector is in its infancy in the Solomon Islands, some projects have managed to make considerable progress. However, the institutional framework remains a major obstacle to significant renewable energy uptake in the country.
The Solomon Islands is an island country located in Melanesia, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of a double chain of 992 islands, of which about a third are populated. The total population in 2024 was 726,799. Throughout the islands, approximately 76 percent of the population has access to electricity. In urban areas, about 79 percent of the population has access to electricity, while only approximately 75 percent of the rural population has access to electricity.
More than 93 percent of electricity is produced by diesel-fueled generators. This makes the Solomon Islands highly dependent on imported fossil fuels for electricity production. In 2022, the country imported 2,000 barrels of refined petroleum products per day.
The country does, however, have significant potential for energy production from renewable energy (RE) sources. Two small hydropower schemes were developed in the 1980s and 1990s, and some international as well as local nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have been active in developing village-based microhydro projects with substantial benefits to the communities. The government is now developing a 20-megawatt hydropower project on the Tina River, on the main island of Guadalcanal, with foreign aid. In addition to having obvious environmental benefits, this project will benefit the population with reduced electricity costs, which are currently among the highest in the region.
Solar photovoltaic (PV) projects have also gained attention. However, the limited purchasing power of the population has forced the country to think outside the box regarding how to recover the cost of solar PV equipment. One successful example of creative innovation is the Pacific Micro Energy Service Companies (PMESCO) project, jointly developed by the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) and the Secretariat for the Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) with a local solar entrepreneur, Willies Electrical and Solar Power. Implemented in 2007–09, the aim of the PMESCO project was to create, in remote rural areas of the islands, a market demand for solar PV home systems powering light-emitting diodes (LEDs), a lighting technology that is more efficient than standard incandescent lightbulbs or compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). In 2022, solar power accounted for 2.7 percent of the Solomon Islands' total installed capacity for electricity generation.
The government also recognizes the role of clean energy in the development of the Solomon Islands and passed a tax exemption act regarding imports of solar energy products. Given its popularity, the government subsequently renewed this policy several times into the 2020s.
In 2024, the government sought to achieve 100 percent access to electricity and zero emissions by 2050, an ambitious goal requiring significant investment and collaboration among parties in different economic sectors. Some of the top priority areas for future improvement include a restructuring of the electrical grid, the implementation of technical standards for resilient off-grid renewable energy, the development of markets for electric mobility, the creation of new funding mechanisms, the promotion of energy efficiency, and more.
Bibliography
Ritchie, Hannah and Max Roser. “Solomon Islands: Energy Country Profile,” Our World in Data, 2022, ourworldindata.org/energy/country/solomon-islands. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024.
"Solomon Islands." CIA World Factbook, 30 July 2024, www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/solomon-islands. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024.
"Solomon Islands Drives Action with Plans to Increase Renewables Use." International Renewable Energy Agency, 6 Feb. 2024, www.irena.org/News/pressreleases/2024/Feb/Solomon-Islands-Drives-Action-with-Plans-to-Increase-Renewables-Use. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024.