Launch of Fiji Youth Solar Challenge
Suva Fiji, 03 November 2020 – The Pacific Islands Development Forum (PIDF) and its partners launched the first ever Fiji Youth Solar Challenge (FYSC) – a national competition for youth from across the country to showcase the benefits of renewable energy. The FYSC aims to encourage the youth of Fiji to focus on the benefits of solar energy.
The Fiji Youth Solar Challenge is part of a wider, regional PIDF initiative – the Pacific Youth Solar Challenge – which will see national competitions for youths take place in PIDF member countries. Participants will be tasked to showcase the benefits of solar energy through one of four categories of the competition, namely Switch 2 Solar, Build it Solar, Sell it Solar, or Serenade in Solar. The PIDF and its partners aim to further encourage youth participation in the renewable energy transition.
Used as a media campaign and community outreach tool, the Pacific Youth Solar Challenge is part of the broader Solarisation of Head of States Initiative, which will see solar photovoltaic (PV) systems installed on buildings of national significance, such as the executive administrative residence of a country, with the goal of giving first-hand experience to country Leaders of the benefits that renewable technologies can offer. By doing so, Leaders can then use their experiences as a tool for engaging the general public, possibly inspiring mass adoption of solar energy, and perhaps other renewable energy technologies.
The target sites for this includes Fiji, Micronesia, Palau, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Solomon Islands, Timor Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. SHoS have already implemented similar projects at the Official Presidential Residence in Maldives, the public residence of the Governor-General in St. Lucia, and at the National Executive Office in Jamaica.
PIDF, in collaboration with international, regional and local partners, will engage with national Governments to solicit their participation in the Pacific Youth Solar Challenge, as well as approach local private sector and development partners for financial or in-kind support.
For more information, please visit https://pidf.int/pacific-youth-solar-challenge/
