The Samoan government says it is developing bio-gas generation systems which will use green waste to provide power in rural areas around the country.
It has received 300,000 US dollars from the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environmental Programme, or SPREP, to do so.
The assistant CEO for energy at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Sala Sagato Tuifiso, says biogas generation systems are more cost effective than other renewable energy sources.
"The cost of producing one kilowatt of bio-gas is as low as US$3, but for solar and wind, US$10 a kilowatt. The plan is to look at using green waste available - grass, banana leaves, taro leaves."
Sala Sagato Tuifiso says biogas generation systems will also eventually be set up in non-agricultural areas.
He says Samoa aims to reduce its import of fossil fuels by 10 percent by 2016.
