South Tarawa Solar Photovoltaic Power Supply System

Does South Tarawa need solar power?

Constrained renewable energy development and lack of private sector participation. While grid-connected solar power is the least-cost renewable energy option for South Tarawa and there is significant resource potential of 554 MW, deployment has been limited.

How much power does South Tarawa need?

The photovoltaic systems account for 22% of installed capacity but supply only around 9% of demand on South Tarawa; diesel generation supplies the remaining 91%. The PUB serves more than 57,000 people in South Tarawa, which has the highest demand at 24.7 gigawatt-hours (GWh) in 2019.

What is the current electricity demand in South Tarawa?

Source: ADB. III. 22. The present yearly electricity demand in South Tarawa is around 29 GWh and is expected to grow by 2% annually. The total power rating available to PUB is around 5MW, sufficient to meet the above yearly demand when all diesel generation sets are operational.

Why is South Tarawa project important?

This is a critical natural asset for South Tarawa and the project will help to reduce the decline in water availability and water quality as well as avoid the risk of further encroachment of incompatible land uses and contamination.

Who generates grid-connected electricity in South Tarawa?

Grid-connected electricity in South Tarawa is generated and distributed by the state-owned Public Utilities Board (PUB).

How much does a kilowatt-hour supply cost in Pacific?

“Utilities Benchmarking Report, 2017 Fiscal Year”, indicates the average supply costs across Pacific utilities is $0.32 per kilowatt-hour compared to 0.395 per kilowatt-hour for South Tarawa. only around 9% of demand on South Tarawa. Diesel generation supply the remaining 91%.