MOBILISING PRIVATE SECTOR SUPPORT TO PURSUING NATIONAL ENERGY TARGETS

Labasa Fiji - 1^st November.  To work towards the lead up to the Fiji Sustainable Energy Consortium Inaugural Annual General Meeting in November 2019, the Government of Fiji’s Department of Energy, the Pacific Islands Development Forum (PIDF) and the Pacific Community’s Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (PCREEE) held the National consultation in Labasa on the 1^st of November. The consultation was attended by various Sustainable Energy Stakeholders who deliberated on the need for the private sector to partake of the business opportunities to achieve deep decarbonisation in all sectors of the Fijian economy.

The development of the Fiji Energy Sector in recent years may have taken enormous leaps and bounds. Unfortunately, it is apparent that the current paradigm shift comprising largely of; i) the advent of markets and industries, ii) the onset of competition, iii) moving from a commodity based markets to technology based and iv) the greater role taken up by Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency (Sustainable Energy), amongst others, are still trying to take form at the local industry level. Fiji and the remaining Pacific Island Countries & Territories (PICTs) economies seem to be moving very slowly in this regard. This is apparent in view of the level of electrification and the percentage of renewable energy mix in the region.

One of the principle fundamentals of the change (under the current trend) is that there is a need to ensure that the benefits for participants in the industry are equitably distributed amongst its stakeholders. To do this the Sustainable Energy Industries in the countries need to qualify and muster a seat at the decision-making table to have their voices heard in the countries and at the regional level.

The consultation looked the following:

i)          for the formation of the Fiji Sustainable Energy Consortium;

ii)         for individual companies to become a member of the “FSEC”; and

iii)        that the FSEC is recognised as an important voice for sustainable energy development in Fiji. 

The formation of an industry association has numerous benefits. The benefits amongst others include the following;

1. Contributing to nation building through SE expertise in the overall development of the Energy Sector in Fiji.
2. Contribute by bringing in and maintaining high level of professionalism in the industry.
3. Contribute through consolidating important issues affecting all levels of industry (local, regional and global) to continually be discussed amongst members and stakeholders at the national level.

By definition, a consortium is an association of two or more individuals, companies, organizations or governments (or any combination of these entities) with the objective of participating in a common activity or pooling their resources to achieve a common goal. The Second round of consultation will be held on the 8^th of November in the West, with the AGM slated for the 21^st November.

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