Off-grid electrification for development of small islands represents a number of unique challenges under the broad category of rural electrification. Small, off-grid island communities are particularly vulnerable to diesel price fluctuations and natural disasters, and thus, enhancing resilience through more sustainable and cheaper energy technologies should be a key priority. Financing the transition to these technologies – usually photovoltaic, micro-hydro or sometimes wind – is an essential hurdle to overcome. Once electricity systems are in place it is equally important that they are sustained in the longer term with effective arrangements for operation and maintenance, cost recovery etc. Related to this, is the productive use of the energy provided to increase islander incomes.
The workshop on Bunaken Island, Sulawesi, Indonesia from 3 to 5 November 2015, organised by the Smart Villages Initiative in collaboration with Kopernik, will explore these issues and develop recommendations for policy makers, development agencies and other stakeholders in energy provision to island communities.
Aims of workshop:
Share experiences (from both good and bad examples) of how to set up, and manage the long term sustainability of, electricity systems on small islands in Southeast Asia and neighbouring regions. Discuss tried-and-tested, and innovative, means of promoting sustained development through electricity access in various island contexts.
Key questions:
- What are the key issues relating to the social, technical and economic sustainability of electricity systems for island communities?
- How to finance, and then maintain electricity systems for island communities to support vibrant island economies? How can local incomes and communities be effectively ‘coupled’ to energy service provision.
- How are energy issues tied in with challenges of access to fresh water?
Partners:
