Critical challenges and capacity building needs for renewable energy deployment in Pacific Small Island Developing States (Pacific SIDS)

Abstract

The Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are among the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Besides, they are some of the most dependent on imported petroleum products in the world, the use of renewable energy (RE) can help minimize the economic risk associated with the price volatility of fossil fuels. The region is increasingly adopting renewable energy (RE) targets and policies. Successful examples of RE deployment in the Pacific SIDS exist; however, many barriers persist and prevent the use of the region’s RE resources in a larger scale. Challenges for RE deployment in islands can be grouped in six categories: i) lack of RE data, ii) need for policy and regulatory frameworks, iii) scarcity of financial opportunities, iv) lack of human resources, v) costly infrastructure, and vi) socio-cultural impediments. Based on a survey conducted among main stakeholders in the region, within the framework of the Pacific Region Capacity Building Initiative of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) carried out in cooperation with the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), this paper identifies the specific characteristics of these challenges in the context of the Pacific SIDS, provide a qualitative assessment and identifies recommendations to overcome these challenges.

The authors would like to acknowledge Mr. Dolf Gielen form the Secretariat of the International Renewable Energy Agency. The authors from the University of Lleida would like to thank the Catalan Government for the quality accreditation given to their research group GREA (2014 SGR 123). The work is partially funded by the Spanish government (ENE2015-64117-C5-1-R (MINECO/FEDER).