Solarisation of Residences of PIDF members’ Heads of States

COUNTRIES: PIDF member states

DURATION: 2 years

START DATE: January 2020 – EXPECTED END DATE: December 2021

FUNDING COMMITMENT: USD 1,100,000

DEVELOPMENT PARTNER: Government of India (through the India-UN Development Partnership Fund)

GOAL: To facilitate the installation of solar energy infrastructure to power residences of heads of state of eleven PIDF member countries and the PIDF Headquarters to promote renewable energy in the Pacific.

PARTNERS: Pacific Islands Development Forum, Solar Head of State and the United Nations Development Programme.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

The initiative for the “Solarisation of Head of State Residences of PIDF member countries” is PIDF’s response to the Solar Head of State efforts to install solar power at the official residences of leaders in developing countries, particularly Small Island Developing States.

PIDF and SHOS, with private sector partners, will procure, construct, and provide project management for the System. SHOS will also train local staff, labourers, and volunteers, who will assist with the construction, operation, and maintenance of the System. The Governments make available grounds and maintenance staff for training by SHOS in operation and upkeep of the System. The project will utilize local labourers. The Government will be responsible for their own staff and local labourers will be insured by a company sub-contracted by SHOS for installation purposes. SHOS will provide system design schematics, equipment manuals, as well as maintenance and operation documentation. The Governments will be responsible for the post-construction maintenance of the System. SHOS will run a post-installation media and public engagement campaign designed to educate the general public on the benefits of solar energy using this demonstration system as an example.

STATUS

The Government of India has approved the funding of this project through the India-UN Development Partnership Fund.

PIDF has formal tripartite MOUs (PIDF – SHOS – Country Government) with Marshall Islands, Palau and Tonga. It has also received official expressions of interest from Nauru and Kiribati and will shortly sign MOU with Kiribati.

The Project Document has been finalised by UNDP and approval received by the Local Project Appraisal Committee.

PIDF and UNDP will be signing the Project Document and the Project Cooperation Agreement for the project to start implementation in early 2020.

 

8th June, 2020

PIDF and UNDP has signed the Project Document and the Project Cooperation Agreement for the project : Press Release