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.
Hydropower is a substantial contributor to electricity generation in Papua New Guinea (PNG), Fiji, and Samoa. Solar power is the go-to renewable source in the Cook Islands and Tuvalu, while geothermal energy finds its place in PNG. Solar technology stands out as the most widely adopted renewable energy source, closely followed by hydropower, onshore wind, and biomass. Currently, only Samoa, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, PNG, and Fiji have harnessed bioenergy for power generation, and this is often constrained in smaller PICTs due to land availability and potential impacts on local food production.
PNG stands out as the sole jurisdiction in the region tapping into local geothermal resources, notably through a 68 MW power plant situated at Newcrest’s Lihir epithermal gold mine in the New Ireland region. Onshore wind energy is gradually emerging, with five of the 15 PICTs utilizing it.
When it comes to renewable energy production, PNG takes the lead, followed by Fiji and New Caledonia. However, it’s worth noting that these figures might have changed significantly in some regions in the past three years due to notable advancements in renewable energy deployment.
