Solar and Storage Minigrid Commissioned on Tonga, Micronesia Seeks Minigrid Proposals
A new hybrid minigrid that will provide clean, reliable and efficient energy supply to residents of Tonga was recently commissioned for the Polynesian island nation.
The minigrid, part of the Tonga Renewable Energy Project (TREP), was financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the governments of Tonga and Australia.
Located on Niuafo’ou, the northernmost island in Tonga and home to one of the country’s four active volcanoes, the $53.2 million minigrid will provide reliable power 24 hours a day to residents and businesses.
Minigrids, sometimes referred to as remote microgrids, are typically constructed in remote areas that do not have access to a central grid. Minigrid systems use software to control distributed energy resources like solar panels and battery storage, providing remote communities with reliable, clean and affordable power.
“Tonga is obviously preparing for a renewable energy future by reducing dependence on fossil fuels and initiating projects like the Tonga Renewable Energy Project,” Keiju Mitsuhashi, director of ADB’s Energy Sector Group, said in a statement. “ADB will continue to support Tonga’s energy transition ambition through accelerating renewable energy investment and strengthening the transmission and distribution network.”
Minigrids will reduce Tonga’s reliance on diesel
The Kingdom of Tonga is an archipelago nation of 171 islands in Polynesia – 36 of which are inhabited. Located southeast of Fiji, the country’s islands are divided into three main groups including the central Ha’apai islands and Vava’u to the north. The Tongatapu group to the south includes the 100.6 square mile Tongatapu island, home to two-thirds of the country’s roughly 104,000 residents and the capital city of Nuku’alofa.
Tonga Power Limited (TPL), the country’s sole electricity utility, is largely reliant on diesel fuel for energy generation. Driven by the government’s goal of achieving 70% renewable energy penetration by 2025, investments in solar, funded by the government organizations like the ADB and the private sector, are on the rise.
The ADB worked with Tonga on the development of a hybrid minigrid on Vava’u in 2023, including a 0.3 MW solar generation system and a 1 MW/2 MWh battery energy storage system. That same year, a $6 million minigrid project serving four islands in the Ha’apai group was commissioned.
The Tonga Renewable Energy Project also provided funds for a battery energy storage system and the modernization of TPL’s central control center on Tongatapu.
Micronesia issues invitation to bid for solar minigrid project
About 2,600 miles northwest of Tonga, the Yap State Public Service Corporation (YSPSC) has issued an invitation to bid (ITB) for the supply and delivery of solar and energy storage minigrids systems.
Yap is part of the Federated States of Micronesia and is one of 600 islands in the Caroline Islands archipelago.
The ITB calls for a total solar capacity of 79 kW as well as battery energy storage systems.
Questions must be submitted between October 21 and November 21, 2024, and all bids must be received by January 28, 2025. The YSPSC has not announced when it will award the contract.
The ITB can be found here.
