New Solar Systems

LO C A L
www.samoaobserver.ws
TALKING ENERGY: E.P.C. Project Manager Fonoti Perelini S Perelini, New Zealnd’s High Commissioner, Jacqueline Anne Frizelle, Minister for Works, Transport and Infrastructure,
Manu’alesagalala Enokati Posala, Director General of the International Renewable Energy Agency, Adnan Amin, New Zealand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tupa’imatuna Alofiotaoa
Murray McCully, the European Commissioner for Development, Andris Piebalgs and Reid Technology Director, David Reid.
New solar systems to save
E.P.C. $3.4million per year
A high level mission visited two new solar
systems on Upolu that could contribute to
savings of $3.4 million tala for the Electric
Power Company (E.P.C.).
According to E.P.C., these savings will
be made thanks to the New Zealand
government who are funding solar projects
at the Faleata Racecouse, at Gymnasium No.
3 at the Tuana’imato Sports Complex and by
a third solar array which is being planned for
Salelologa in Savai’i.
The Coproation says combined the three
projects will produce 2.59MWp(Megawatt
peak).
The Racecourse’s array alone, when
completed, is set to provide the highest
electrical output from a single photovoltaic
installation in the Pacific region with an
output of 2.2MWp
E.P.C. General Manager, Tologata Tile
Tuimalealiifano said these three projects will
reduce diesel fuel consumption by around
1.1 million litres per year.
“This in turn would provide E.P.C. annual
savings of SAT$3.4 million in fuel costs from
diesel generators,” he said.
This week E.P.C. had the chance to show
New Zealand’s Minister for Foreign Affairs
Tupa’imatuna Alofiotaoa Murray McCully
exactly how his Government’s money was
being spent.
Tupa’imatuna Alofiotaoa was part of a
delegation that included representatives
from the European Union who visited energy
project sites where Samoa and New Zealand
are working in partnership to increase the
generation of power from renewable sources
to replace generation from imported diesel
fuel.
The visit included calls to solar
Photovoltaic (PV) systems constructed at the
horse Racecourse and Gymnasium No. 3.
He also visited the Loto Samisoni hydro
plant in Ma’agao, Faatoia, which was severely
damaged during Cyclone Evan and is still out
of operation.
The visit was a joint mission by Minister
McCully and European Union Commissioner
for Development Andris Piebalgs.
Also accompanying the visit was Dr.
Adnan Z Amin the Director General of the
International Renewable Energy Agency
(I.R.E.N.A.).
The delegation was accompanied by several
government officials including Minister
of Works, Transport and Infrastructure
Manualesagalala Enokati Posala, Ministry of
Finance C.E.O. Tupaimatuna Iulai Lavea and
E.P.C. G.M. Tologata Lei’a Tile Tuimalealiifano.
This visit follows the signing in December
of 2013 by the Prime Minister Tuilaepa
Sailele Malielegaoi of a Renewable Energy
Partnership Agreement with the Government
of New Zealand.
The agreement outlined the investment
of NZ$14,500,000 (SAT$28,403,151.79) to
renewable energy infrastructure projects
such as solar PV installations, wind feasibility
assessments, hydro plant rehabilitation
and new hydro schemes, and construction
management and technical assistance to the
energy sector.
This renewable energy partnership not
only brings together the Samoan and New
Zealand governments but also the European
Union.
The New Zealand and European Energy
Access partnership was launched at the
Pacific Energy Summit in 2013.
Renewable energy will be one of the major
themes of the upcoming Small Islands
Development States Conference in Apia later
in the year.
25 APRIL 2014 SAMOA OBSERVER
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