Results for energy

An environmental study on seabed mining for “polymetallic nodules” - rocks that contain metals needed to build batteries, is underway in the Clarion Clipperton Zone (CCZ) of the Pacific between Hawaii and Mexico. The aim is to use the metals to power electric cars. The study is being undertaken by DeepGreen Metals Inc., a Canadian-based seafloor mining developer, which acquired Tonga Offshore Mining Limited (TOML) last year, and has sponsorship from the Tonga government for seabed exploration. By Eleanor Gee.

Tonga’s ambitious goal to achieve 50% renewable energy this year has been moved to 2021, confirmed Tonga Power Ltd (TPL) at a stakeholder seminar on 28 February. However, TPL is also exploring a more aggressive plan to try and achieve the target by the end of this year.

The price of electricity has increased starting today, 1 November, from $0.799 to $0.8316 per kWh, approved by the Electricity Commission. With the tarriff increase, Tonga Power Ltd. expects to recover $1.6 million over 12 months, to offset losses in fuel costs.

Only two countries in the Asia and Pacific region made this year's top ten list of the world's best solar-energy countries, ranked by the SolarSuperState Association. Japan was third and Australia ninth. So far, Tonga has not been ranked this year due to a lack of current information.

Finding the best areas to generate solar power in Pacific Island countries is now possible with a new free tool, Global Solar Atlas, facilitated by the World Bank, and launched today, 31 July, at the Pacific Power Association (PPA) Conference in Apia, Samoa. At the click of a button, the application will help investors and policymakers identify potential sites for this renewable energy.

The opening of the first Pacific Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (PCREEE) office was marked in Nuku’alofa on 26 April, during an event held at the Tanoa International Dateline Hotel, by the Pacific Community (SPC).

The Ha'apai solar farm project - an on-grid project which will become the first utility scale solar energy generation facility in Ha’apai - was visited yesterday by Australian Minister, Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells and her delegation who were welcomed by Tonga Power Ltd. staff and the Governor of Ha'apai, Mo’ale Finau. Australia has contributed AUD$5.7 million towards Tonga's Outer Islands Renewable Energy Project in co-financing with the Asian Development Bank and the European Union.

A $10 million pa'anga project to build the largest solar energy plant in Tongatapu, follows the signing of a long term Power Purchase Agreement between Tonga Power Ltd. and a Chinese power producer on September 12, 2016, for the construction and commissioning of a 2 Megawatt solar facility at at Mata-ki-‘Eua, which is expected to be fully operational by mid-2017.

Only 20% of households in the Pacific Islands have access to electricity, and electricity prices in the region are among the highest in the world, the Pacific Power Association Conference in Nuku’alofa, Tonga, was reminded yesterday. Keynote speaker, Kamleshwar Khelawan pointed out that more clarity in governance areas would help to encourage private sector confidence and much needed investment partnerships in the energy sector.