Felix Gooneratne, 'Inoke Vala, andMartina Tonizzo. Nuku'alofa, Tonga, 12 September 2013.

Five energy efficiency projects expected to be implemented in Tonga next year will include the installations of energy efficient lamps in government buildings, homes and replacing existing inefficient street lights.

The work comes under the second phase of a Promoting Energy Efficiency in the Pacific (PEEP) Project for five Pacific Islands, including Tonga. It aims to reduce energy consumption in residential, commercial and public sectors through the implementation of energy efficiency measures and to set up policy frameworks to help Pacific Islands countries move away from fossil fuel dependency.

The project is co-financed by the Asian Development Bank, the Governments of Australia and Japan with the Global Environment Facility and the Asian Clean Energy Fund with the Government of Tonga through the Tonga Energy Road Map Implementation Unit providing significant in-kind contribution.

Martina Tonizzo, the Team Leader from the Asian Development Bank said phase 2, which began in November last year and will end around the same time next year covers US$8.7 million for the five Pacific Islands. “For Tonga we have five projects and approximately each project is around $100,000 dollars for now, so its around half a million dollars for Tonga alone,” she said.

They would assist the Government of Tonga by rolling out the five energy efficiency projects that will ultimately mean big savings in public lighting, government buildings and residential sectors in Tongatapu, Vava’u, Ha’apai and ‘Eua.

She said for the street lights it will include replacing the existing inefficient high pressure sodium (HPS) lamps with high efficiency LED luminaries. “We have already started procurement and expect the implementation and actual subsitution of the street lights to start sometime in January next year,” she said.

This street light project, which followed up from a first phase of the PEEP project expects to save 110,830 kilowatt-hours per year which is equivalent to $47,103 in annual diesel savings.

Meanwhile, the residential aspect of the project is under evaluation.

The idea is to replace the existing T-8 fluorescent tube lights with more efficient T-5 FLTs. “For this project to happen in the outer islands we are procuring 3,000 tubes and with support from the Tonga Power Ltd will distribute and install for customers on a small fee but it would have an immediate response on the energy field. We estimate that it can save up to 35 percent of the electricity use in household lighting,” she said.

Additional projects will include providing energy efficient lighting in public buildings or government offices and a residential energy project in Tongatapu similar to the outer islands.

Difference

‘Inoke Vala, the Director of the Tonga Energy Road Map (TERM) said they had taken a holistic approach to try and improve the performance and outcomes in the energy sector for consumers and part of that approach was efficiency. “We can provide project of renewable generation on the ground but if we do not distribute or use energy efficiently then some of the gain that we might have in generation and security in generation might not be realized,” he said.

He thanked ADB for their great assistance in this area and the International Institute for Energy Conservation (IIEC) the implementation organization working with them.

“TERM and Tonga Power Ltd are happy with the funding. I understand the project starts next year and will include government ministries and public buildings which is going to help the nation and hopefully from there the people will see the difference in LD lights make in offices and start buying these bulbs for their homes,” he said.

Present at the TERM-IU office in Nuku'alofa was the Asia Director of IIEC Felix Gooneratne, Nikolasi Fonua Tonga Power's Business Development Manager and Charles Sullivan of TERM.