Solar energy brings light to rural Fiji

[Stacey King]

ABC RADIO - PACIFIC BEAT

Fiji's government is continuing with its rural electrification program by encouraging more homes and schools to install solar energy systems. Fiji's Department of Energy says a new financing project will assist families and schools to purchase solar energy systems which will bring much needed light to remote rural areas.

Presenter: Kate McPherson
Speaker: Fiji's Acting Director of Energy, Peceli Nakavulevu

Listen:Windows Media

NAKAVULEVU: There's about 1,200 installations that we have done so far. It is actually implemented under our school regime, whereby the government actually owns the units and it is leased out to the communities. The communities in fact they pay a fee for the use of the system. It's 14 Fijian dollars on a monthly basis. We mobilise say the private sector. We have contractors that actually carry out the installation, the maintenance and also the supply of the treatment.

MCPHERSON: So it creates jobs as well then?

NAKAVULEVU: Basically yes.

MCPHERSON: And how do the people in the rural areas benefit from these solar energy systems? Are they paying less money than they would for say kerosene or diesel?

NAVAKULEVU: That's very correct. When you equate that 14 Fijian dollars, that they are paying on a monthly basis, it's about 50 cents a day. Right now, a bottle of kerosene for one litre it's stands around $2 to $2.50 when it is actually sold in those rural areas. What we need to take into account in Fiji is the transport cost to reach those islands. Those prices of fossil fuels is actually increases tremendously when it goes to the islands.

MCPHERSON: And can I ask if the solar energy systems can actually replace the whole households need for electrification through kerosene of diesel? Does it take care of everything?

NAVAKULEVU: At the moment, the focus is only on lights. We are working in collaboration with the World Bank and the ANZ has actually come in under a sustainable energy financing project. Under this particular project, it actually provides the finances for people to actually get renewable energy through solar, where they can actually get in other appliances to be run on solar energy as well. We are also being in schools for that matter and those schools are being provided with lights and there are also boarding schools for primary students and they have lights for lights in those facilities and at the same time, if they apply through that sustainable energy financial project, we can actually add in other additional appliances for the photo copiers and fax machines and even computers for that matter.

MCPHERSON: And so does a family need to be relatively well off to afford this system? I know you spoke about the passing before?

NAVAKULEVU: We, the current offering that we are providing, it is actually, the costs are very minimal eh. There is just an up-front fee, refundable fee of $50 which they pay to confirm their interest in taking up the solar home system and then thereafter they pay the $14 I mentioned earlier on. They don't have to be well off to do this. The work that is being undertaken actually assists families in providing the much needed electricity or lighting to these families, for children to actually have a decent light for reading and also women can do other things in the night and those kind of things.

MCPHERSON: And is there enough solar cells for everyone that wants them at the moment or where are you getting them from? Do you need more?

NAVAKULEVU: We in Fiji, we mostly import most of these materials and now we can easily obtain it from Asian countries and also from Australia and New Zealand.