(September 27, 2019) the Asian development bank (ADB) today signed a $22 million grant program with the government of nauru to provide the Pacific island nation with reliable, safe, sustainable and affordable solar energy to help meet its socio-economic development needs, according to the bank’s release.

Nauru is now heavily dependent on imported diesel for power generation, the adb said.The development of the pv project will reduce nauru’s dependence on diesel and help increase renewable energy generation from 3 per cent to 47 per cent.

The money will be used to build a 6MW grid-connected photovoltaic power station and a 2.5mwh, 5MW energy storage system to help keep power flowing even when the sun is interrupted by cloud cover.The system will be fully automated and integrated with existing diesel systems to optimize the use of solar energy, enable optimal battery energy storage system charging and discharging, and allow optimal diesel engine shutdown.This would reduce nauru’s dependence on diesel power and reduce production costs.

The nauru photovoltaic project is one of a series of renewable energy projects funded by the Asian development bank’s Pacific renewable energy investment fund.Established to meet the region’s growing energy financing needs, the fund also provides innovative financing mechanisms for 11 island states, including palau, Marshall islands, Samoa, Solomon islands, tonga, tuvalu and vanuatu.