Fijian communities will benefit through an innovative partnership emerging from the bilateral engagements between Fiji and the Republic of Korea. This has been made possible through a Memorandum of Understanding recently signed between the Korea Energy Agency (KEA) and Fiji’s Ministry of Infrastructure and Meteorological Services for developing programs and projects in areas of energy access, renewable energy and climate change issues.
The MOU will enable the two agencies to work collaboratively in exploring potential renewable energy projects based on the list of sites provided by Fiji’s Ministry of Infrastructure and Meteorological Services.
The cooperation was formalised through an official signing of the MOU by Fiji’s Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, Peniana Lalabalavu (signing on behalf of the Fiji Ministry of Infrastructure and Meteorological Services) and the President of Korea Energy Agency, Mr Kim Chang Seob at the Chancery of the Fiji Embassy in Korea.
Ambassador Lalabalavu on behalf of the Fijian government conveyed her appreciation to President Kim for his Agency’s commitment to assist Fiji particularly for the support provided towards the USD1.5Million Namara village Solar PV combined with Energy Storage System (ESS) pilot project which, was commissioned by the Ministry for Infrastructure and Meteorological Services in December, 2017.
In commending KEA’s remarkable commitment to this initiative, Ambassador Lalabalavu also acknowledged the preliminary feasibility study conducted in 2017 on future renewable energy projects in 24 villages on the islands of Kadavu, Vatulele, Mamanuca and the Yasawa group.
The MOU signed is a testament of Fiji and the Republic of Korea’s friendship and collaboration that has culminated into projects in areas of social and economic development.
In his remarks President Kim reiterated his Agency’s commitment to work closely with Fiji’s Ministry of Infrastructure on the development of renewable Energy in Fiji in particular on Solar PV combined with Energy Storage System (ESS) in remote areas, which are not connected to the national grid.
In this regard, he confirmed that they will work closely with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Meteorological Services on the finalisation of the feasibility study that was conducted by an independent consultant in 2017 and work towards the robust implementation of the proposed renewable energy projects identified in the report.
The MOU is for a term of three (3) years and it will be reviewed and renewed in accordance with the mutual agreement of the two nations.