Renewable Energy Costs in the Pacific - Final Report

Collation of renewable energy infrastructure project cost data in the Pacific

Aim: To analyse the capital cost of large solar photovoltaic (PV), wind and hydro generation projects bulit in the Pacific over the past 10 years.

Objectives: Improve renewable energy project design and implementation through the provisions of reliable, comparable capital cost data.

Table below highlights the Electricity Access, RE Target, targeted year set by respective Pacific Island countries for their electricity sector.

	Geography	Population	Electricity Access	Generation GWh pa	RE Target	RE Target by Year
Cook Islands	14 islands	15,200	99%	31.8	100%	2020
Fiji	320 islands, 106 inhabited	888,400	87%	900	100%	2030
FSM	607 islands	105,300	65%	72	> 30%	2020
Kiribati	32 widely scattered atolls	120,100	>65%	23	23 - 40%	2025
Marshall Islands	34 islands, mostly atolls	55,500	87%	101	20%	2020
Nauru	single island	11,000	100%	31.7	50%	2020
Niue	single island	1,520	99%	3.3	80%	2025
Palau	596 islands, 12 inhabited	17,900	98%	89.3	45%	2025
PNG	Over 600 islands	8,558,800	12%	217.3	100%	2030
Samoa	10 islands	196,700	100%	140	100%	2025
Solomon Islands	~1000 islands, 350 inhabited	682,500	23%	78	79%	2030
Tokelau	3 atolls	1,400	100%	1.2	100%	long-term
Tonga	176 islands, 36 inhabited	100,300	89%	55.4	50%	2020
Tuvalu	9 atolls	10,200	98%	5.2	100%	2020
Vanuatu	>80 islands, 65 inhabited	304,500	33%	66.3	100%	2030

Source: PRIF

In this report, they found the average total installed cost of PV systems has fallen from around USD $12/W in 2008 to $3/W in 2018. Key factors affecting installed costs include scale, location, and footing type (rooftop, concrete or piled), as well as the need for fencing, civil works and any requirements to bring in sand and repair/upgrade existing infrastructure.

For PV-battery systems, the system cost has fallen from around $11/W in 2014 to a range of $5 to $8/W in 2018. Key factors affecting costs are similar to PV-only systems with the added factors of battery type plus inverters function and sizing, as well as any requirements for new control systems and buildings to house battery banks and inverters.

Keywords: Pacific Region Infrastructure Facility (PRIF), Renewable Energy Projects, Pacific Islands, Renewable Energy Costs

For more information on PRIF you can visit: https://www.theprif.org/

Publication Category:

Reports and Proceedings

Publication Thematic Areas:

Renewables

Number of Pages:

44

Year Published:

2019

Countries covered:

Regional