Over 20 participants, including 10 solar PV technicians, attended a renewable energy mini-grid training in Neiafu, Vava’u on 28-30 April as part of resilience development in Tonga.

The training was jointly conducted by the Pacific Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (PCREEE) and the MEIDECC Department of Energy.

Most of the electricity supply in the outer islands is through mini-grid systems where both diesel and solar generation are being used together with battery storage systems.

MEIDECC Department of Energy Director, Dr Tevita Tukunga said the training is timely as plans are underway to build six mini-grids for six of the islands in the Vava’u group.

“Funding for the mini-grid has been confirmed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) under the Tonga Renewable Energy Project, a Green Climate Fund funded project for Tonga.”

Training included theoretical concepts and basics of PV mini-grids. Participants also visited Tonga Power Ltd’s solar farm and other outer islands solar PV systems, and joined a regional webinar on ‘Microgrids Supporting Resilience in the Pacific Islands’ organised by the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and PCREEE.

Taunga Island town officer and technician, Ma’afu Mahe, said the training helped them to understand better the concept of expanding from solar home systems to solar mini grids.

Meanwhile, Mr Jesse Benjamin from PCREEE said Tonga is the first country in the Pacific for PCREEE to roll out its mini-grid programme with and we are looking forward to rolling out activities on mini-grids in accordance with the needs and priorities of the other Pacific Island countries too.

The programme is part of PCREEE’s efforts to support Pacific Islands to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic ensuring reliable electricity supply to keep vaccines cold, and to better respond to natural disasters such as cyclones.