Kiribati : South Tarawa Renewable Energy Project (Phase 2)

Agriculture, natural resources and rural development / Water-based natural resources management

Energy / Electricity transmission and distribution - Energy sector development and institutional reform - Renewable energy generation - solar

Transport / Water transport (non-urban)

The proposed project will initiate and contribute to the transformation of the Kiribati energy sector to one that is low-carbon and adapted to growing climate and natural hazards. It will do this by installing the innovative, climate-adapted and efficient floating PV (FPV) for power generation and for services and benefits beyond electricity.

The project will indicatively install 4 megawatts (MW) FPV, 3 megavolt-ampere (MVA) /5 megawatt-hour (MWh) BESS, and 33 kilovolt (kV) underground transmission network on Betio, as well as 5 MW FPV, 4 MVA/xx MWh BESS, and 33 kV underground transmission network in Bikenibeu, including all related grid integration and control systems. Adaptive low-carbon productive uses of energy infrastructure installed. The FPV systems will be designed to integrate priority sustainable value-added end-uses to maximize the use of daytime solar energy. The project will also indicatively install productive uses of energy infrastructure such as (i) a water storage, treatment, and distribution system, (ii) an agriculture/aquaculture pilot project (iii) electric vehicle and charging station, and (iv) coastal protection and disaster risk reduction measures. The project will also include institutional capacity strengthening.

Kiribati's remoteness from major markets and most resources leads to high import costs, while its low elevation averaging only 2 meters above sea level creates severe vulnerability to sea-level rise and other climate change impacts. Like many other small Pacific islands, Kiribati's power generation and transport rely heavily on imported diesel fuel, transported over long distances across the ocean and subject to weather and climate-change related supply disruptions. This dependence exposes Kiribati to high and fluctuating oil prices and has resulted in one of the region's highest costs of power generation. Around 60% of Kiribati's population of 119,449 (2020 estimate) lives in South Tarawa, which has a land area of only 16 km2. The extreme land constraint limits food production further exposing the country to the high cost of imported food. Saltwater intrusion and other natural hazards endanger the limited freshwater resource and further damage the aged water supply infrastructure, both contributing to the spread of water-borne diseases and greenhouse gas emissions from boiling water using kerosene or biomass. All infrastructure lies on land close to the coast.

The Government of Kiribati has prioritized strengthening fuel security and reducing emissions and hopes that continued investments in renewable energy, energy storage, and distributed technologies improve the country's energy security, increase grid reliability, while reducing diesel consumption. However, the approach to developing the energy sector has focused on maintaining the existing generation and distribution network, and progressively replacing diesel with land-based PV.

Due to climate change, the current model to developing the energy sector is no longer sustainable. Over the last two decades, Tarawa has become particularly vulnerable to climate hazards, with longer and more intense dry periods, more regular flooding, sea level rise (SLR), extreme weather events, higher temperatures, and storm surges. SLR means that there will be far less dry land available to host energy infrastructure, reclamation is costly, and the future location of suitable land is unknown. Coastal erosion and SLR threaten all land-based infrastructure and thus, adaptive climate-resilient technologies and approaches are now required.

A sustainable, accessible energy supply is vital to lowering vulnerability and to providing a basis to all adaptation pathways. Access to clean energy and water allows communities to develop climate-adapted livelihoods and, over time, adapt more successfully to climate change. For example, sustainable energy supply provides a basis for: (i) sustainable food and water supplies; (ii) reliable education facilities; (iii) reliable health care facilities; (iv) low-carbon transport; and (v) other innovative end-use technologies and applications

Renewable energy generation increased and greenhouse gas emissions reduced in Kiribati.

Increased generation and utilization of climate-adapted renewable energy in South Tarawa

Climate-resilient floating solar photovoltaic, battery energy storage system and grid infrastructure installed

Adaptive low-carbon productive uses of energy infrastructure installed

Institutional strengthening implemented