Palau is now on the move to hitting its 45% renewable energy target by 2025 by starting off with Kayangel Island, the northernmost state of the country, and making it generate and utilize 100% renewable energy by the end of 2019.
Kayangel State, which has a land area of about 1.4 km2 and a population of 138 based on the year 2000 consensus, currently relies on a diesel-powered generator for its power supply.
The New Zealand and European Union (EU) have approved 1.4-Million NZ dollar to fund the Kayangel project along with another renewable energy project with the Palau Community College (PCC).
President Tommy Remengesau, Jr. reiterated in a press conference on Wednesday that the priority undertaking of his administration in the next two and a half years is the renewable energy project.
“It is a daunting task to reach the 45% [renewable energy] target”, Remengesau said in Palauan, but he was quick to add that Palau has already submitted funding request for this goal to the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
It was also bared during the press conference that Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is now working on a project to identify areas that could be utilize as solar farm.
Palau is a signatory to the Paris Agreement and has expressed its commitment to generate 45% of energy from renewable sources by 2025. (By Rhealyn C. Pojas)