Islands and energy: challenges and opportunities


In this short video, you’ll hear from experts who aim to provide rural, remote islands with energy. From Tuvalu to Indonesia to Melanesia and beyond, islands face unique energy challenges. Some of these challenges include: challenging weather and turbulent seas, relying on rainwater for fresh drinking water, and remoteness. Many islands, if they are lucky, have a diesel generator. But shipments of diesel can be dangerous on rough seas, and bad weather or a generator breakdown can mean going without energy and electricity for weeks or months. The people and organisations in this video are looking for solutions to these unique island challenges.

Photo credits:
IT Power / Julia McDonald
“Teafuafou island on the approach into Funfauti atoll, Tuvalu”, Nick Hobgood, CC BY-NC 2.0
“Tuvalu – Funafuti – Beach #2”, Stefan Lins, CC BY 2.0
“Solar panel on roof”, Helena Wright, CC BY 2.0
“Bliss.Gili Islands, Lombok, Indonesia 2010”, Mikaku, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
“Scaling up renewable energy access in Eastern Indonesia (Sumba Iconic Island Initiative)”, Asian Development Bank 45274-001, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
“Street children in Jakarta, Indonesia”, ILO in Asia and Pacific, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
“Shipyard workers, Batam, Indonesia”, ILO in Asia and Pacific, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
“Indonesia12”, vampirogordo, CC BY-NC 2.0
“Women at a community meeting discuss the reconstruction of their village”, World Bank Photo Collection, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
“Ubud 2013”, M Meijerink, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
“A couple of gorgeous school girls in Lombok – great photo @frostcovered !”, UpSticksNGo Crew, CC BY 2.0
“East Nusa Tenggara”, CIFOR, CC BY-NC 2.0
“Couldn’t connect to the internet”, Aditya Fajar, CC BY-NC 2.0
“IOM’s Global Solar Lanterns Initiative”, IOM, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
“General Photos – Solomon Islands”, Asian Development Bank, CC BY 2.0
“It’s a family affair…”, Wayne S. Grazio, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

This video is produced by the Smart Villages Initiative with story, video, and editing by Molly Hurley-Depret.

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