A 4.5kw solar-panel to power a water pump for Nukunuku village, was donated by the German government, and launched by Dr Christian Ruck, on February 23.

Dr Ruck is the first German Member of Parliament to visit Tonga, and as the Deputy Chairman of the caucus of the ruling party of the German parliament, he is in charge of overseas development, environment and energy.

He praised the effort by the village to use solar power, and become less dependent on fossil fuel. He said 20% of Germany's electricity consumption comes from solar power, but their aim is to increase that to 80% in the near future.

Dr 'Amanaki Fakakovikaetau, the treasurer for the Nukunuku Water Committee, said that energy generated by the USD$9,000 solar panel would run a pump for two ground wells producing about 200 liters a day. The pump runs during day-light hours as the solar panel is set to follow the movement of the sun from sunrise to sunset.

He said that the solar panel will save them about $500 on diesel fuel every three weeks. Along with the village's two other diesel pumps, it will serve the 343 households in Nukunuku, with a population of 1781.

The German Honorary Consul for Tonga, Carl Sanft said that the German government is most willing to provide assistance toward such community projects.

Dr Ruck said that after attending international conferences on the environment in Durban and Copenhagen, the German parliament decided to strengthen its relations with the island countries of the South Pacific.

He was visiting Tonga only, and admitted that he had a special interest on Tonga. One of his favourite books on the South Pacific was written by a German scientist who accompanied Captain Cook who visited Tonga during the 1700s. "So I think I know you very well," he said.