14 Nov 2015

Niue seeking renewable energy partners

5:08 pm on 14 November 2015

Niue is hoping its newly completed strategic energy road map will convince donors to support its aspirations for renewable power generation.

solar panels

Photo: 123RF

The 10 year plan which aims to reduce Niue's reliance on fossil fuels by 80 percent will cost an estimated $26 million US dollars.

Most of the funding is for the development of a massive solar farm and exploration of other alternate energy sources such as wind, biomass and ocean energy.

Niue's infrastructure minister Dalton Tagelagi says emphasis is also being put on improving the efficiency of existing power sources and investigating cleaner fuel options for vehicles on the island.

"This is what we wanted to do, and not only donors but the rest of the money also from our government our own contributions into it. Its got a few little projects in there say 20 thousand and up to a 100 thousand. But bigger projects are also captured in there and from there we can use that as our tool when we apply for funds and so forth."

Dalton Tagelagi