WSHPDR_2013_Final_Report-updated_version

Table 1
Micro-hydropower systems in Solomon Islands
Year of
comissioning
Location Ownership Turbine Installed capacity
(kW)
Comment
1952 a Fauabu b Melanesian Mission Turgo – Gilkes 10 Not operational
1973 a Atoifi Adventist Hospital Pelton – Gilkes 30 Ceased operation around 1980
1986 Atoifi Adventist Hospital Pelton – Hydro Systems 36 Under repair
1983 a Iriri Community Pelton – Apace 3 Ceased operation 1997
1984 Malu’u SIEA (government) Crossflow – SKAT 16 Suspended (Land and technical
issues)
1993 a Vavanga Community Crossflow – Apace 2 Ceased operation in 2001
2004 Vavanga Community Pelton - Pelena 8 Operating
1995 Manawai SIEA (government) Pelton - Canyon 16 Operating
1996 Buala (Jejevo) Community Pelton – Andritz 150 Operating
1997 Ghatere Community Crossflow 8 Incomplete and damaged
1999 Bulelavata Community Crossflow – Pelena 24 Operating
2003 Raea’o Community Pelton – Pelena 30 Operating
2004 Nariao’a Community Pelton – Pelena 30 Operating
2010 Masupa Community Pelton - Pelena 40 Operating
Notes: Table last updated in October 2010. SIEA - Solomon Islands Electricity Authority. a. decommissioned systems b. unconfirmed.
Table 2
Potential small hydropower sites in Solomon Islands
Islands
Number of
sites
Micro
(kW)
Guadalcanal 49 - 1 210 236 100 237 310
Malaita 23 90 2 700 28 000 30 790
Santa Isabel 6 - 610 4 100 4 710
New Georgia 23 320 4 840 - 5 160
San Cristobal 12 20 371 25 500 25 891
Choiseul 15 140 2 030 20 030 22 200
Santa Cruz 2 50 260 310
Total 130 - 326 371
Source: based on JICA’s 2000 study Master plan study of power development in Solomon Islands: final report (Page 5-18)
Mini
(kW)
Small
(kW)
Total
(kW)
In 1996, the German Agency for Technical
Cooperation (GTZ) supported the study of three minihydropower
schemes in the Solomon Islands. GTZ
supported the construction of the Jejevo (Buala)
Hydropower scheme (Santa Isabel Province), but did
not fund the construction of the Huro and Rualae
Mini-Hydropower Schemes in Makira and Malaita
Provinces respectively. Consultants have recently
been engaged to re-evaluate these projects.
Pelena Energy has been in negotiations with the
Solomon Islands Government to privately fund and
develop micro hydropower systems in various parts of
the country. These projects would be based around
the community construction model with income
generating and partnering with Pelena Energy for
technical and management support. Negotiations are
continuing.
Renewable energy policy
There is no specific renewable energy policy in
Solomon Islands. The Energy Division under the
Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification is
currently responsible for energy sector policy
formulation, legal and regulatory development and
institutional strengthening. The Solomon Islands
National Energy Policy (SINEP) iii was endorsed in 2007
and was valid for 10 years. It has 12 main strategic key
priorities, one of which is renewable energy. The
SINEP is currently being reviewed.
Barriers to small hydropower development
Lack of funding availability for small hydropower
project execution;
Engineering designs extracted from foreign
projects where transportation infrastructure is
typically more widespread and of greater capacity
than in Solomon Islands. These designs are flawed
in the context of the logistical demands of
Solomon Islands. The designs are inappropriate
and commonly not funded due to the high cost,
as determined from restrictive international
tendering processes with little scope for input
from experienced local designers;
Lack of transparency in procedures;
Lack of incentives for private investment in the
electricity market of Solomon Islands, particularly
for locations outside of the traditional
jurisdictions of the government-owned SIEA;
Perception problem, particularly by the dominant
aid industry, that the only path for rural
electrification is through aid funding;
Undermining of government departments,
agencies, and authorities by foreign aid
424