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Pacific Energy Planning

What the project is about

The Efate outcome statement from the Fifth Pacific Regional Energy and Transport Ministers’ Meeting held in Port Vila, Vanuatu in May 2023, reaffirmed the critical importance of the Leaders’ call, for a clear pathway for energy security and the urgent need for decarbonisation of energy systems including electricity, transportation and clean cooking; and the need to address supply chain issues, rising costs of fuel and knowledge gaps.

Need for Better Planning Frameworks and Modelling Tools for Energy Transition in the Pacific

The energy modelling tools provide open-source data management and decision support optimization tool that aims to provide policymakers, development partners, investors and researchers with a shared platform for a wide range of macro-energy system analyses needed to achieve the energy transition together.

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Reports

Reports prepared during the project.

Tools

Tools developed for the region

Events

Evenet organized by project partners.

Knowledge sharing

Resources and materials for further reading.

Project Updates

Have your say

We want to hear from you.

You can help shape our policies and decisions.

Project Showcase at COP28

11/28/2023

Great discussion happening at #MoanaBluePacific Pavillion at #COP28 with ARC Training Centre for The Global Hydrogen Economy Chief Investigators: Prof Iain MacGill and Dr Rahman Daiyan, Ph.D. from UNSW Minerals and Energy Resources Engineering on Australia’s hydrogen capability and technology. Looking forward for open dialogue, impactful discussion, sharing knowledge, and collaborating towards a greener, more sustainable future.

Helping

the pacific

to become more sustainable through renewable energy

+15

countries

(+10,000 population)

State of Play

Biofuel Potential in PICTs

Biofuel usage within the region presents a complex and demanding scenario. While significant biofuel production is observed in some jurisdictions, its utilization varies across the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs). In most PICTs, biofuels find their primary application in households, although in Fiji, they are also employed in manufacturing, and some regions utilize them for electricity generation.

Electricity Sector in PICT’s

The electricity landscape in the PICTs is diverse, with variations in size and energy sources. Fossil fuels, primarily oil, play a significant role in power generation across all regions, except for coal in New Caledonia. Notably, each jurisdiction has its unique energy mix.

Regional Energy Policy

Realising the impact that the fossil fuel-dominated energy supply on the Pacific region and the world, the PICT communities and governments are committed to a decarbonised future. A primary concern for the PICTs, as evidenced by their targets outlined in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), is to both (i) increase the access to clean-renewably sourced electricity/energy in remote and isolated communities, and (ii) enhance the penetration of clean energy across the entire end-use spectrum. However, there are still complex implementation challenges involving technical, social, and financial barriers facing these ambitious energy targets.

Energy Landscape of the Pacific and Scope for a H2 Economy

The use of fossil fuels in these key domestic sectors roughly equates to at least 23 million barrels of diesel equivalent per year, which might potentially be replaced through electrification with renewables, as well as by green hydrogen or derivatives in the Pacific Islands. The major energy consumer markets for fossil fuels in the PICTs are electricity generation, land, air, and maritime transport. Creating a significant opportunity for hydrogen and derivatives:

TRAINING

Training the workforce required for decarbonizing the Pacific Islands Countries and Territories.

RESEARCH

Developing robust energy transition modeling tools.

INDUSTRY

We are establishing a collaborative environment to bring together industry, regional, and global stakeholders to develop the Pacific Energy Planning.

The development of Planning Frameworks and Energy Transition Modelling Tools for the Pacific Islands Countries and Territories (PICTs) is being led by University of New South Wales (UNSW) in partnership with Pacific Power Association (PPA), the Pacific Community (SPC), and the University of South Pacific (USP), with funding support from the Australian Government’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW).

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