Review of Vanuatu National Energy Road Map 2016 - 2030 Implementation Plan Making Good Progress

15th April 2019, Port Vila, Vanuatu. The Department of Energy (DoE in partnership with the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) ), conducted a validation workshop on the review of the National Energy Road Map (NERM) 2016-2030 Implementation Plan (NERM-IP) at PMC Owen Hall in Port Vila on Monday15 April.

This validation workshop forms part of the ongoing work on the review of the NERM-IP which the DoE is currently undertaking with technical support from GGGI. This second workshop allowed the review team to present key updates and interventions such as the Barrier Removal for the Achievement of NERM Targets of Vanuatu (BRANTV) Project that would contribute towards achieving the objectives of the NERM. The country’s NERM target for 2030 is that 100% of all households in the country must have access to basic electricity for a healthier living, thus contributing to the overall economic development of the nation.

The current review of the NERM-IP will also analyse progress made to date against each of the NERM targets and objectives and will update these projections based on current and pipeline interventions. One of the important output of this exercise is for the Department of Energy to come up with a realistic project prioritisation criteria that ensures energy projects do not only meet NERM targets but are also sustainable. Furthermore, a Provincial Sustainable Energy Action Plan will be developed to ensure strategic aims of energy programs in the NERM-IP are mainstreamed into Provincial and Municipal strategic action plans.  This activity will also ascertain the institutional capacity especially within the DoE necessary to support the implementation of the NERM-IP and a Monitoring Reporting and Verification information system which has been provided as part of this support.

Participants listen in at the NERM-IP review workshop

During the workshop, the BRANTV Project Manager Ms Doreen Leona pointed out that just last month she visited 4 remote islands and observed that many rural households have access to basic or pico solar home systems for lighting and charging mobile phones. This indicated that Vanuatu has made good progress in eradicating the use of kerosene lamps for lighting and now portable solar systems are becoming more available and cheaper to use.

Mr Tony Alvos from Unelco Engie and Mr Peter Allen from VUI Pernix Group also mentioned that they are very much committed with Government to address energy access in electricity concession areas, and encourage small energy retailers to work closely through various energy programs under the DoE, like the BRANTV Project and the Vanuatu Rural Electrification Project to ensure that rural households and rural public institutions progress to have energy systems installed. 

The NERM-IP review is planned to be completed and published in June 2019.

For more details please click here.
Source: Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI)