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The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Tuvalu have officially launched a 500 kilowatt solar rooftop system in Funafuti, along with a 2 megawatt-hour battery energy storage system (BESS). This project will provide clean and reliable electricity to Tuvalu’s capital and help the country meet its renewable energy goals. The ceremony was led by Tuafafa Latasi, Acting Minister of Transport, Energy, Communication, and Innovation for Tuvalu. He was joined by ADB officials, including Aaron Batten, Regional Director of ADB’s Pacific Subregional Office, Letasi Iulai, ADB Senior Country Officer, and Cindy Tiangco, Director of ADB’s Energy Sector Group.
Mr. Batten, said in a statement, “The commissioning ceremony today marks an important step in ADB’s support for Tuvalu’s renewable energy transition. The completed project is helping the government to transform energy supply in Funafuti and the outer islands from a manual diesel-based power system into a modern automated high renewable energy-based power system.”
The Tuvalu Increasing Access to Renewable Energy Project, part of the Pacific Renewable Energy Investment Facility, has received $6 million in support from ADB. This is the first energy project in Tuvalu by ADB, and it has installed solar systems in the outer islands of Nui, Nukufetau, and Nukulaelae. To help Tuvalu reach its renewable energy goals, ADB approved an additional $7.8 million in December 2023. This funding is co-financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Ireland Trust Fund, and the Urban Resilience Trust Fund from the UK Government.
The additional funding will support the Pacific’s first near-shore floating solar PV system on Funafuti’s Te Namo Lagoon. This system is designed to adapt to climate change and will help with coastal protection and reef regeneration. The project aims to improve the quality and reliability of power, make the energy service more resilient to climate change, reduce the country’s reliance on imported fuels, and lower power generation costs by replacing some diesel with solar power.
The project is funded by ADB through the Asian Development Fund, which supports the poorest and most vulnerable countries. It is co-financed by the Global Environment Facility and the Government of Tuvalu. Since its establishment in 1966, ADB has worked to promote a prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable Asia and Pacific, with a focus on eliminating extreme poverty. It is owned by 69 members, 49 of which are from the region. |
