One million dollars worth of solar equipment arrived in Majuro earlier this week for installation in six public elementary schools on remote islands throughout this nation of coral islands that is scattered over 500,000 square miles of ocean.
“These are big systems,” said Katerina Syngellakis, the program manager for the EU-supported Renewable Energy Project in five Pacific islands who is based in Fiji. “They will provide for lights, computers, DVD players and teachers’ office needs in the Marshall Islands.”
Other nations involved in this five-country EU grant are Niue, Nauru, Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia. Several islands, including Palau, Niue, Nauru and Kosrae in Micronesia, are getting solar equipment that will be connected to existing electrical grids. Syngellakis said the 12 million Euros ($16.75 million) is being provided over a four year period for the five nations, with work just underway in most of the nations.
In the Marshall Islands, the project will light up remote schools on islands that have no electricity at all, giving them their first opportunity to use computers, DVD players and other electronic equipment for teaching students.
Technicians from the national utility company, Marshalls Energy Company, will be installing the school units, as they have EU, Taiwan and France-donated home solar units for about half the outer island population of 17,000. EU consultant Richard Leney is working with the project to check equipment and installation for the Fiji-based EU office.
“These will make a big difference on rainy days,” said Leney of the system that will light up the classrooms that have no power and get dark on rainy days.
“The Marshall Islands is lucky to have the Marshalls Energy Company installing the systems,” Syngellakis said. “There are few utilities in the region with experience in solar installation. This is a real advantage (for Marshall Islands).”
It is expected to take about six months to install the equipment in the six schools. Leney confirmed that all the solar equipment is now on island, though some wiring supplies are still on their way. Installation will get underway next month.
“There are five containers of batteries,” said Leney, “and 333 solar panels.” Part of the project will be to build “battery rooms” at each of the schools.
“This is very high-quality equipment,” said Leney of the German-manufactured solar equipment provided by the EU. “It will make quite a difference to people on the outer islands who won’t have to use generators and buy fuel.”
Syngellakis said the EU is also helping the Marshall Islands government develop a new energy policy for the country by funding two experts who are working with the Ministry of Resources and Development on the plan. She said the energy policy work has been coordinated with the Asian Development Bank and AusAID, the Australian government’s aid program. “Donor aid isn’t always coordinated,” she said. “But in this case, we’ve had good communication and coordination.” She said the new policy should be out by next month, and it will focus work on expanding renewable energy power generation and creating energy saving projects in the Marshall Islands.
