Page 19 - IB MAY 2017

Energy
A shared vision for green growth in Fiji

100pc renewable electricity and sustainable biofuels

ing coconut oil processing mills in small,
remote islands, with the dual objectives
of energy security and rural income gen-
eration. Despite significant investment
from the government to develop a biofuel
industry in Fiji, the confluence of the de-
clining price of diesel, internationally, and
the resulting lack of market demand for
biofuel caused significant issues in the
commercialization and sustainability of the
program. Additionally, inadequate logisti-
cal set up and market engagement resulted
in difficulties producing and selling coconut
oil-based biofuel. These factors severely
constrained the operations of the mills
and, by 2016, none of the mills invested in
With widespread coconut plantations across Fiji’s islands, communities can benefit from multiple income were running anywhere near full capacity.
generating activities through the mills. Photo: GGGI
Clearly an opportunity was being missed.
workforce made up of 70 per cent women, sensible way to tackle power and energy Reinvigorating, not reinventing
the cannery provides job security for many problems in rural areas because there is a With the support of GGGI, the Govern-
community members. market for the private sector here. Just look ment of Fiji is undertaking a review of the
With enhanced productivity and further at mobile phones and their uptake; rural biofuel program particularly for the mills
opportunities for economic growth in lo- renewable energy is heading in the same on the small, remote islands to determine
cal communities, as seen with increased direction: there is a potentially profitable the challenges and opportunities in imple-
electrification on the mainland, Ovalau’s market.” mentation to date, and explore ways to
commercial centers and businesses could With Ovalau and Taveuni at a crossroads reinvigorate the industry. In carrying out
capitalize on tourism opportunities: Fiji’s for energy development, GGGI’s study aims the review, GGGI is considering the techni-
original capital city and UNESCO World to offer a new pathway, steer them away cal, economic, and social issues affecting
Heritage site, Levuka, is located on the from diesel use, and create more secure the growth of the biofuel sector in Fiji,
island. Not only could an increase in steady and reliable electricity for communities while also exploring how new business ap-
and secure renewable energy help bring and businesses. Powering the islands proaches could support the productivity of
more visitors to Levuka, but clean energy with clean, climate-resilient energy could the mills on the remote islands. The aim of
would also reduce the noise and air pollu- have significant impacts for Fiji and the the review is to explore other economic op-
tion that currently disturbs the site. larger Pacific region. Katerina Syngellakis, portunities that are present within the mills
Access to clean energy promises to help GGGI Country Representative for Fiji and rather than simply identifying what has not
communities become more resilient to Vanuatu says, “We’re looking at two ma- worked in the past, and find solutions to
climate change impacts. Cyclones, like Win- jor islands in Fiji that nobody has looked make the mills a viable enterprise. This is
ston, can destroy energy infrastructure, but at before. A complete pathway to 100% possible because of the consultation, part-
having diverse and decentralized sources renewable energy for smaller islands has nership and flexibility embedded within
of clean energy will bring greater security. not been done in Fiji; there is no road map the green growth approach. By proposing
Importantly, this clean, green approach currently for this on any of the islands. If new products, markets and collaborations,
directly integrates the local private sector, we can show how it can be done for Ova- GGGI is working to reactivate the existing
which sees opportunities to contribute to lau and Taveuni, this can be replicated on mills through a comprehensive, in-depth
Fiji’s ambition. “Government and private other islands.” review to determine the steps required to
sector collaboration for new energy access get the mills running effectively.
is critical. We have to work together and Coconuts provide the fuel for sustainable Jeke Pai Vakaloloma, Biofuel Engineer
not in isolation to get it done,” says Bruce communities with the Department of Energy for the Min-
Clay of Clay Energy, a long-established Recognising the challenges of both the istry of Infrastructure and Transport notes
renewable energy consulting and instal- high cost of importing fuel, and the need that GGGI has played an important role in
lation company in the Pacific. “The GGGI for energy security to support the economy, identifying where efforts can be focused, or
and Government of Fiji approach is making in 2005 the GoF introduced a program to shifted, rather than starting over.
it possible to work with the private sector, encourage the use of coconuts for biofuels n GGGI
bringing all stakeholders together. It’s a in remote islands. This included establish-

Islands Business, May 2017 19