12 Oct 2016

Germany funds solar energy for Tonga hospital

1:18 pm on 12 October 2016

Germany is to provide funding to allow Tonga's Prince Wellington Ngu hospital to run on solar energy.

Maama Mai Solar Facility, Tonga Power Limited.

Maama Mai Solar Facility, Tonga Power Limited. Photo: Tonga Power Limited.

A contract has been signed between the German Ambassador Gerhard Thiedemann, and Tonga's Acting Minister of Health, Tevita Lavemaau, for a new photovoltaic system to be installed at the hospital in Vava'u.

The project worth $US100,000 will make the hospital less dependent on diesel generated power and also decrease energy expenses.

Excess electricity will be fed back to the grid with the project seen as contributing to Tonga's plan of increasing its overall share of renewable energy to 50 % by 2020.

The installation is scheduled to be finished by May 2017.