The Solomon Islands Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification for the Honiara grid has launched a new partnership on renewable energy transition modelling with the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
Permanent Secretary Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification, Dr Chris Vehe, welcomed the project.
“The development of a dynamic, open-source energy transition modelling tool will greatly benefit Solomon Islands as we implement the National Energy Policy,” Dr Vehe said.
“This tool will support evidence-based decision making by the Solomon Islands Government about how to improve renewable energy integration, energy affordability and security in the Honiara electricity grid.”
Australian High Commissioner, His Excellency Rod Hilton, said the project was an example of the depth of Australia’s support for renewable energy and climate change resilience in Solomon Islands.
“Alongside Australia’s financing and delivery of climate-resilient infrastructure and renewable energy generation projects, policy-based technical initiatives, such as this, deepen the people-to-people links between our two countries as we strengthen resilience to climate change,” High Commissioner Hilton said.
Over the next eight months, renewable energy experts from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) will implement the Planning Framework and Capacity Expansion Modelling Tools for Solomon Islands Project.
Last month, Australian Government officials and renewable energy experts from the UNSW held consultations with key stakeholders to ensure alignment of the project scope with Solomon Islands’ current energy priorities, including the outcomes of the National Energy Summit.
Project partners also include the South Pacific Community, the Pacific Power Association and the University of the South Pacific.
The project is intended to be completed by mid-2025.
- AHC
