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https://reneweconomy.com.au/from-diesel-shackles-to-solar-sovereignty-how-australia-can-help-unlock-a-renewable-pacific/>
"High on the agenda at this week’s Pacific Islands Forum will be the crippling
global oil shock that has exposed the fragility of the Pacific’s energy
security and dependence on imported diesel.
But, what if the sun-drenched island nations of the Pacific were known not only
for their vulnerability to sea level rise or global energy shocks, but as the
world’s first fully renewable-powered region?
Imagine replacing expensive diesel generators with solar power plants –
shifting from the current reality where volatile oil imports swallow up to a
quarter of national budgets to a future powered by clean, abundant,energy
provided free from the sun.
Our new report,
Counting the Cost of Fossil Fuels in the Pacific, finds that
right now, the Pacific stands at a pivotal crossroad. Around 80% of the
region’s total energy supply relies on imported oil products, leaving island
nations at the mercy of global supply disruptions.
Across the region, households already pay an average of $US0.47 per
kilowatt-hour for electricity, which is nearly triple the global average.
Pacific nations spend between 10% and 25% of their total GDP on fossil fuel
imports, dwarfing the regional averages spent on education (8%) and healthcare
(6%).
The ongoing conflict in the Middle East, and the closure of the Strait of
Hormuz, has driven Pacific diesel prices up by 35%. This threatens to add
$US375 million to Fiji’s annual fuel bill – exceeding its entire health budget
– and drain 5% of Vanuatu’s GDP.
Analysis from Zero Carbon Analytics has found that not only are Pacific island
countries heavily exposed to fossil fuel imports and volatility, but they also
have not ramped up their imports of clean electric technologies – like solar
panels, batteries, electric vehicles – nearly as fast as the global average in
recent years.
Pacific nations would benefit from a clean energy shift more than most. Other
small island states – including in the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean – have
increased their cleantech imports at well above the global rate. This shows
that while there are challenges and upfront costs to electrify small island
nations, the hurdles are not insurmountable."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
