Category: Country, Island

Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea

  • Target: 100% renewable energy in the electricity sector by 2030
  • Status: In progress
  • RES: Solar power and bio-energy
  • Implementation: Papua New Guinea (PNG) occupies the eastern half of the island of New Guinea off the northern coast of Australia. In March 2016, PNG became the first nation in the world to finalize a climate plan under the agreement adopted at COP21 in Paris in December 2015. Although the country's greenhouse gas emissions are negligible, PNG wants to set an example to its neighbours and send a strong message to developed countries that are emitting the majority of greenhouse gases that they should act to protect world populations from climate change. PNG's climate plan, as per the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) guided by UNFCCC rules, is to curb fossil fuel emissions. To this end, PNG has committed to transitioning to 100% renewable energy in the electricity sector by 2030, contingent on availability of funding. The nation also plans to improve efficiency across sectors and reduce emissions where possible in the transportation and forestry sectors. PNG  will also seek to mitigate its contribution to climate change by reducing deforestation and promoting forest conservation and sustainable management of the nation's forests, which is being coordinated through an existing UN initiative called Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+).
  • Population: 8,084,999 (2016)
  • Area: 462,840 km2 (178,700 sq mi)
  • Link: https://www.businessadvantagepng.com/improving-access-to-finance-the-key-to-solar-power-expansion-in-papua-new-guinea/
Papua New Guinea

Pellworm, Germany

Pellworm, Germany

  • Target: 100% renewable electricity
  • Status: Achieved
  • RES: Wind power, solar farm.
  • Implementation: Pellworm is the third largest North Frisian island and relies on tourism and agriculture. About 50 farms engage in livestock. 70 percent of the land is used as grassland .  A 28 km long and eight meter-high dyke protects the island from the North Sea. For more than 30 years, the island of Pellworm has been a pioneer in the renewable energy field. At the end of the 70s, the first small wind-energy systems were tested here. After 1983, a 300 kW solar power station appeared, complemented by three 25 kW wind-energy units. The electricity produced was used to supply a health resort. Since then, the plant has been upgraded and enlarged several times and today it serves the E.ON group for the testing of ‘smart grids’ and modern storage technologies.  In the second half of the 90s, the Association of Ecological Economies, the Municipality and the electricity provider Schleswag set up an energy concept that enabled Pellworm to become energy self-sufficient. A public wind-park company was founded in order to use electricity production as a source of income. The municipality opened an energy office. A biogas assessment led to the installation of a public biogas unit, local heating from which supplies the health centre. A round-table meeting brought together all operators and parties interested and involved in the energy sector and initiated further development of the energy concept.
  • Population: 1,136 (2016)
  • Area: 37.44 km2 (14.46 sq mi)
  • Link: Smartregion Pellworm
Pellworm, Germany

Watch "Pellworm: Germany's green energy island" by AFP News Agency

Réunion, France

Reunion

  • Target: 100% renewable electricity by 2028
  • Status: In progress - Renewable energy represents 13% of the primary energy consumption.
  • RES: Main sources of electricity generation are hydropower, photovoltaics and biomass (bagasse). Photovoltaic energy represents 8% of the production. From 2011 and 2015 solar parks increased in 44%. Trials for solar micro-grids with storage capacity for areas within the island that are very difficult to access.
  • Implementation: Multiyear program for energy (Projet de programmation pluriannuelle de l’énergie), which has a legal precedent on the Energy Transition Act for Green Growth (Loi sur la Transition Energétique por la Croissance verse) forms the basis of target. The project is being implemented by the EDF Group.
  • Population: 866,506
  • Area: 2,511 km²
  • Link: Reunion Island plans to go green

 

Reunion

Saint Lucia

Saint Lucia

  • Target: Generate 35% of the country’s energy from renewables by 2020.
  • Status: In progress
  • RES: Geothermal, wind and solar power.
  • Implementation: Saint Lucia is a Sovereign Island and former French and British colony located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. It gained independence in 1979. The country’s economy is based on tourism and the export of bananas. Its energy consumption depends on imported fossil fuels, particularly diesel. Facing the effects of fluctuating energy prices and the impacts of climate change, the Saint Lucia Government recognizes the economic and moral imperative to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and plans over the next 10 years to switch much of its electricity from diesel to renewables. The government aims to reduce the costs for electricity and the demand of diesel imports, while simplifying opportunities for its citizens to generate their own electricity. In 2016, the government carried out the installation of solar PV panels on the roofs of the National Mental Wellness Centre (NMWC) and the headquarters of the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO). In 2017, the first utility scale renewable project was constructed on the island: a 3MW solar plant by the airport funded by the utility company LUCELEC. In 2013, Saint Lucia had joined the Carbon War Room’s Ten Island Challenge at the Caribbean Conservation Summit, which aims to help islands across the Caribbean to transition to 100% renewable electricity generation.
  • Population: 178,015 (2016)
  • Area: 617 km2 (238 sq mi)
  • Link: https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy15osti/62688.pdf
Saint Lucia

Samoa

Samoa

  • Target: 100% renewable by 2025
  • Status: In progress
  • RES: Five hydropower stations, solar and wind power facilities. Hydropower is the most cost effective renewable energy to develop in the country. The island uses solar energy to complement hydro sources during the dry season, and coconut oil for biodiesel generation.
  • Implementation: The Pacific Islands Greenhouse Gas Abatement through Renewable Energy Project (PIGGAREP) has been implemented in the pacific region since 2006, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). This project involves the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. Most of these countries have a 100% renewable energy target. The Pacific Islands Framework for Action on Climate Change (PIFACC) provides the framework to guide cooperation amongst stakeholders in the pacific region. To facilitate action on the ground, Samoa is working with the Asian Development Bank and New Zealand.
  • Population: 195,843 (2016)
  • Area: 2,842 km² (1,097 sq mi)
  • Link: Samoa opens new sources of renewable electricity
Samoa

Samsø, Denmark

Samsø, Denmark

  • Target: Move from a 100% RE island to a fossil free island by 2030
  • Status: Achieved - Samsø is the world´s first island powered by 100% renewable energy. In progress - It is almost totally carbon free and uses 100% RE in all sectors except for transport. 
  • RES: Eleven land-based wind turbines and almost all heat production is powered by woodchips, straw and solar panels. The overall wind power generation is sufficient to offset the CO2 emissions of the private vehicles used on the island since all other vehicles (tractors, ferry-boats and government cars) use locally-produced biodiesel or are powered by renewable electricity.
  • Implementation: In 1997, a competition for local communities and islands was launched to present plans for a 100% RE scenario. Samsø was the winner of the contest, being one of four islands and one peninsula that took part. The prize was a national fund to implement the island's renewable energy actions. A decade later, Samsoe generated more clean wind power than it consumed. The island´s energy model relies highly on participation by local citizens and businesses in the planning and implementation of RE projects. For instance, the wind turbines belong to the locals, resident associations or the city´s council. In 2006, the island established the Samsø Energy Academy in order to facilitate research and disseminate knowledge. In 2007, it was opened to the public and now it organizes exhibitions and workshops for politicians, journalists, and students from all over the world. The Samsø Energy Academy is a conference center used by companies, scientists and politicians to discuss renewable energy-related topics. Although the island is 100% powered by renewable resources, it still uses fossil fuels for local transport and heating. Therefore, the municipality has recently decided to move from a 100% RE island to a fossil free island by 2030, which includes transport on the island and to/from being free from fossil fuels.
  • Population: 3,724 (2017)
  • Area: 112 km2 (43 sq mi)
  • Link: https://energiakademiet.dk
Samsø, Denmark

Scotland, UK

Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

  • Target: 100% renewable electricity by 2020 with an interim target of 50% by 2015. 11% renewable heat consumption increase and 12% energy efficiency increase by 2020. 16% energy productivity increase from 2005-2011.
  • Status: In progress - In 2012, the amount of electricity generated by renewable sources was 40.3% of the gross annual consumption of electricity.
  • RES: Onshore and offshore wind farms, inland hydropower and wave/tidal infrastructures.
  • Implementation: In 2011, the Scottish Government established the 100% target, alongside heating and energy efficiency targets. Through a renewable energy routemap, these targets are being closely monitored and regularly published. The energy infrastructure will make use of Scotland's large inland water resources, high-speed winds on- and offshore as well as the daily tides and large waves along its coasts.  Between 2010-2020, renewables in Scotland is estimated to provide up to 40,000 jobs, £30b investments and opportunities for R&D. The Scottish government also intends to promote local ownership of energy that benefits communities today and in the future. The Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) was launched to maximize public involvement and community benefits. CARES facilitates funding application for projects, and offers advice and support to develop community-owned projects.
  • Population: 5,424,800 (2017)
  • Area: 77,933 km2(30,090 sq mi)
  • Link: Securing a green recovery on a path to net zero: climate change plan 2018–2032 - update
Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

Sint Eustatius, Caribbean Netherlands

Sint Eustatius, Caribbean Netherlands

  • Target: Reduce fossil fuel usage and establish a grid stabilizing energy supply based on renewable energies.
  • Status: Achieved - Produces 4.1 MW of energy, covering 45% of the islands annual energy share.
  • RES: Combination of a 2 MWp PV farm and diesel generators, largest lithium battery storage system in the Caribbean, latest energy technology products, and monitoring platform.
  • Implementation: The project was built by Eco Energy in collaboration with SMA and Schlepper. In 2016, 1.89 MWp of solar power and central storage batteries were first installed. The project began operations in March 2016. In the second expansion stage, the project partners doubled the solar output to 4.15 MW and increased the battery capacity to 5,900 kWh. The key component is the battery inverter with grid-forming characteristics which allows the diesel generators to be shut down fully automatically without affecting the stability of the frequency in the utility grid. A fuel save controller is responsible for real-time energy and power management and synchronizes diesel and battery operation. The system compensates for the PV array’s power fluctuations caused by fast-moving clouds in this region. This allows for the diesel generators to be switched off completely during the day. The system has withstood hurricanes Irma and Maria (September 2017). The EU has since earmarked 2.2 million euros to enhance the resilience of the electrical grid by placing around 10km of MHV cables underground. In 2017 the local government began working with a French energy company to explore geothermal energy production on the island.
  • Population: 3,193 (Jan 2016)
  • Area: 21 km² (8 sq mi)
  • Link: https://www.sma-sunny.com/en/flagship-project-in-the-caribbean-pv-hybrid-system-on-the-island-of-st-eustatius/

Solomon Islands

Solomon Islands

  • Target: 100% renewable energy by 2030
  • Status: In progress
  • RES: Solar energy, hydro schemes on rivers, and biomass energy.
  • Implementation: One of the least developed countries in the world, the Solomon Islands consists of over 997 islands from which 97 are inhabited. The six main islands are Guadalcanal, Malaita, Makira, Santa Isabel, Choiseul, and New Georgia. The major activities in the islands are agriculture and fishing. The islands possess mineral, hydro and forest resources. The Solomon Islands are currently experiencing the severe effects of climate change, with extreme weather conditions, rising air temperatures on flora and fauna, and rising sea levels. Like most pacific islands countries, Solomon Islands is heavily dependent on fossil fuels for its transportation system and diesel for its power generation. The country, however, is now turning to renewable energy to replace these fuels. The country´s national Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification is implementing energy schemes to promote the use of renewable energy. The government has initiated renewable energy projects in rural communities, with donor support to promote rural electrification and the use of solar power. Notable projects include the use of solar for power generation in schools. In 2019, an agreement to build the Tina River hydropower project was signed which will  increase the amount of renewable energy in the Honiara national grid by nearly 70 percent while reducing reliance on expensive diesel power. The project is Solomon Island’s first large-scale infrastructure project to be developed as a public-private partnership (PPP), involving the Solomon Islands Government, the state-owned power utility Solomon Power and the private developers of the project, Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water) and Hyundai Engineering Corporation (HEC). Support is also being received from the World Bank. The Solomon Island's government is working towards addressing challenges in reaching its energy goal in general, which include: the lack of technical skills, little or no renewable energy training available locally, and the lack of legislation for Renewable Energy Service Companies (RESCOs).
  • Population: 599,419 (2016)
  • Area: 28,400 km2 (11,000 sq mi)
  • Link: http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2018/12/06/agreements-signed-to-bring-reliable-renewable-electricity-to-solomon-islands
Solomon Islands
  • Malaita Island © Irene Scott/AusAID CC BY 2.0

Sumba Island, Indonesia

Sumba Island, Indonesia

  • Target: Electrify 95% of the island and exclusively provide  power from renewable energy until 2025
  • Status: In progress - 10% of electricity production from solar, biogas and hydro.
  • RES: Most of projects rely on solar PV, biogas, or micro-hydro systems.
  • Implementation: The Dutch global energy consultancy company KEMA had assessed the potential of wind and hydropower  to power the entire island with renewable energy at low costs. Based on this study and together with Hivos, a Dutch development organisation, the Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources decided to implement the 100% renewable energy target on Sumba Island. Today, the Iconic Sumba project consists of a conglomerate of international donors and the local government. The Asian Development Bank as well as the Dutch and Norwegian governments also financially support the initiative.
  • Population: 755,849
  • Area: 11059.6 km²
  • Link: http://en.sumbaiconicisland.org
Sumba Island, Indonesia