Nuku Secondary School, which serves 121 students in Nuku and surrounding villages, and nearby St Peter Chanel Primary School, which serves 110 students, have both received new solar power systems, internet connectivity and digital learning equipment to support classrooms and teacher residences. 

Delivered through a partnership between It’s Time Foundation, Fiji’s Ministry of Education and the Australian Government through REnew Pacific, 31 schools across Fiji, including these two, are receiving 24-hour solar power, internet connectivity and digital learning facilities, building on an earlier successful pilot on Rabi Island. 

Fiji’s Minister for Education, the Honourable Aseri Radrodro, and Australia’s High Commissioner to Fiji, H.E. Peter Roberts, joined students, teachers and community members at Nuku Secondary School to mark the commissioning of this new infrastructure.  

Minister Radrodro said reliable electricity from solar systems can transform learning in rural communities, helping ensure students and teachers have the power, connectivity and opportunities they need to thrive. 

High Commissioner Roberts said: “It was wonderful to join the Hon. Minister Radrodro, the school community and, of course, the students of Nuku Secondary and St Peter Chanel Primary schools to celebrate the commissioning of this project. It’s a powerful example of how renewable energy infrastructure can build resilience and strengthen education outcomes for remote and maritime communities. Australia is proud to partner with Fiji to help ensure schools have the energy and technology they need.” 

Rob Edwards, CEO, It’s Time Foundation, said: “This project is helping close the energy and technology gap for rural and remote schools. With a long-term maintenance model in place, these systems are designed to support students and teachers for generations to come.” 

REnew Pacific is Australia’s $75 million investment in off-grid renewable energy for rural and remote communities across the Pacific and Timor-Leste. In Fiji, REnew Pacific is also supporting a second project delivered in partnership between the Global Green Growth Institute, the Water Authority of Fiji and the Department of Water and Sewerage, which will install solar-hybrid and water pumping systems in seven maritime island communities, improving water reliability for nearly 5,000 people across Lakeba, Rotuma and Vanuabalavu. 

REnew Pacific is part of the Pacific Climate Infrastructure Financing Partnership, a $350 million Australian Government initiative delivered by the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP). 

Find out more: https://renewpacific.com.au/project/powering-a-sustainable-solar-energy-model-for-fijis-remote-school-communities/

The post Australia and Fiji partnership powers rural schools with solar and internet appeared first on REnew Pacific.

The Forum opened with a reception at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva on Wednesday evening, as the Sustainable Energy Industry Association of the Pacific Islands (SEIAPI) Conference closed.

Fiji’s Minister for Public Works, Meteorological Services and Transport, the Hon. Ro Filipe Tuisawau, and the Australian High Commissioner to Fiji, His Excellency Peter Roberts OAM, joined the reception to highlight the importance of collaboration in expanding clean energy access across the region, and the strength of the Fiji-Australia partnership. The evening provided a fantastic opportunity for attendees to connect across sectors and build momentum ahead of the Forum.

The following day, the REnew Pacific Annual Forum focussed on sharing practical delivery experience and lessons to support more effective approaches to off-grid clean energy across the Pacific and Timor-Leste. The event began with opening remarks from Fiji’s Minister for Public Works, Meteorological Services and Transport, the Hon. Ro Filipe Tuisawau, and Clair McNamara, Deputy High Commissioner at the Australian High Commission in Fiji, emphasised the importance of strong partnerships and sustained investment in off-grid energy delivery across Fiji and the region.

Nick Murphy, Investment Manager at the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP), highlighted Australia’s support for off-grid clean energy across the Pacific and Timor-Leste, with REnew Pacific Team Leader Mohammed Angawi showcasing the program’s significant progress after only one year.

The spotlight then turned to real-world delivery experience from REnew Pacific and Business Partnerships Platform (BPP) partnerships, with speakers sharing practical insights from across the region:

• From sea to clinic: HELPR-1 powering Vanuatu’s remote health centres: Dr Basil Leodoro, Director of HELPR-1 Operations | Respond Global
• Strengthening water access and resilience with hybrid energy for Fiji’s maritime islands: Norbert Maass, Country Representative Fiji, Kiribati, Tonga, Vanuatu | Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI)
• Securing access to renewable energy on Solomon Islands’ Savo Island: John Marsh, Managing Director | Archipelago Energy
• Empowering local women and enabling greater access to clean energy and water in Kiribati: Praveen Lata, Head of Program Operations | Action on Poverty
• Harnessing the circular economy to tackle solar e-waste in Vanuatu: Dr Paul Munro, Associate Professor | University of New South Wales (UNSW)
• Powering a sustainable solar energy model for Fiji’s remote school communities: Rob Edwards, CEO and Founder | It’s Time Foundation

A keynote address from Patrick Tuimalealiifano, Team Leader for Inclusive Growth at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), highlighted what it takes to scale solutions that work in complex and remote environments.

REnew Pacific’s Partnerships and Portfolio Lead, Ravinesh Nand, moderated a fascinating panel discussion exploring partnerships, maintenance models and the realities of delivering off-grid energy across remote communities and dispersed island contexts. Panellists included:

• Jen Ramamurthy, Co-founder | Sola PayGo
• Dr Komeri Onorio, Founder and Managing Director | EcoCare
• Skye Haigh, Practice Lead – Remote Development | Ekistica
• Vineil Narayan, Project Manager | United Nations Development Programme.

Attendees then took part in an energising interactive session to collaborate and reflect on shared challenges and identify opportunities to strengthen delivery across the region.

The Forum provided a valuable opportunity to share practical experience and strengthen connections across the clean energy ecosystem, helping inform future policy, investment and partnership approaches to expand off-grid energy access to communities across the Pacific and Timor-Leste.

We are grateful for the insight, enthusiasm and energy shared by everyone involved. Thank you to all speakers, panellists and participants for being part of REnew Pacific’s inaugural Annual Forum!

Check out the Forum photos below.

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Reception

Forum

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For generations, our Blue Pacific family has lived in harmony with the sea. But today, that ocean is rising. Climate change is the single greatest threat to our shared home, reshaping lives, livelihoods and ecosystems across the region.

Australia and the Pacific stand together to protect our shared home and future. Through Australian Government partnerships under REnew Pacific and its earlier Business Partnerships Platform (BPP) pilots, local communities, governments and businesses are building climate resilience, powering health centres, schools, water systems and livelihoods in some of the region’s most remote off-grid communities with clean, renewable energy.

Since the first BPP pilots in 2024 to now – just two weeks out from celebrating REnew Pacific’s one-year anniversary – 19 remarkable projects have been transforming lives across our region’s most remote off-grid communities.

Together, they are delivering clean, reliable energy to more than 130 schools, health centres and communities across six Pacific and Timor-Leste countries, reaching over 230,000 people – and we have only just begun.

As COP30 in Belém fast approaches, we are celebrating the partnerships powering climate leadership across our vast region, uniting Australia and our Pacific family in shared purpose and progress.

In Vanuatu, ActionAid Australia, ActionAid Vanuatu, the Women I Tok Tok Tugeta (WITTT) Network and PowerWells are strengthening women’s control and access to clean, affordable energy. The University of New South Wales, working with the Vanuatu Disability Promotion and Advocacy Association, the Vanuatu Institute of Technology and the Vanuatu Department of Energy, is addressing solar e-waste through a circular economy approach that builds local skills and sustainable solutions. Respond Global, in partnership with the Vanuatu National Green Energy Fund (NGEF), is improving healthcare delivery in remote areas through off-grid renewable energy and training for local technicians. The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), also working with NGEF, is supporting solar-powered water systems that strengthen community resilience and create green jobs across the islands.

In Kiribati, Action on Poverty and the Foundation of the Peoples of the South Pacific are empowering local women to expand access to clean energy and safe water, improving health, safety and livelihoods across remote island communities.

In Papua New Guinea, KTF (Kokoda Track Foundation) is expanding its successful pilot under the BPP, which powered Kokoda College with clean energy and digital learning infrastructure. Through REnew Pacific’s first PNG project, KTF will now be delivering new solar mini-grids to remote communities in Oro and Central Provinces, powering classrooms, digital learning and health services at Mt Koiari FODE Centre and the Sanananda Aid Post. Their work will improve access to education and healthcare in some of Papua New Guinea’s most remote off-grid areas. Caritas Australia and Catholic Church Health Services are improving energy access for essential healthcare in New Ireland Province, ensuring clinics can deliver life-saving care safely and reliably. Sola PayGo, in partnership with MiBank, is creating jobs and livelihoods through renewable energy.

In the Solomon Islands, Superfly is leading a new REnew Pacific project to install solar hybrid systems at Atoifi Adventist Hospital, Goldie College and Sir Dudley Tuti College, delivering reliable clean power for healthcare and education across Malaita, Western and Isabel provinces. Superfly has also strengthened energy security at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Tetere and has partnered with Save the Children Solomon Islands and the Mai-Ma’asina Green Belt to expand solar access in Malaita communities. Archipelago Energy is securing renewable power on Savo Island, while Pelena is powering the Vavanga community with micro-hydro.

In Fiji, Its Time Foundation is powering classrooms and computer labs in remote schools, while the GGGI is delivering hybrid energy systems that strengthen water access and community resilience across maritime islands.

And in Timor-Leste, Engineers Without Borders Australia, Raw Material and Mara Mresa are catalysing renewable energy for coffee cooperatives in off-grid communities, while MEA Power Up and Master Electricians Australia are improving health infrastructure in Cova-Lima Province with new solar systems at clinics and water pumping sites.

Each project tells a story of partnership, resilience and shared purpose, with communities powering a sustainable and inclusive future for our Blue Pacific. All are made possible through the Pacific Climate Infrastructure Financing Partnership (PCIFP), a $350 million initiative delivered by the Australian Government’s Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP) and implemented by Palladium.

Follow along as we get ever closer to COP30 on the road to Belém.

The post Clean energy. Sustainable development. One Blue Pacific appeared first on REnew Pacific.

With just three weeks until #COP30, we’re spotlighting education, because powering classrooms with clean energy is powering opportunity. Supported by the Australian Government through REnew Pacific and earlier pilots under the Business Partnerships Platform, local partners are lighting up schools and learning spaces with renewable energy across the Pacific.

In Fiji, Its Time Foundation, in partnership with Fiji’s Ministry of Education and the Australian Government, is expanding access to clean energy for 30 remote and maritime schools through REnew Pacific. Each site will receive reliable 24-hour solar power, high-speed internet and simple computer labs, helping bridge the digital divide and improve learning conditions for students and teachers.

The new project builds on a successful pilot at Buakonikai Primary School on Rabi Island, where clean, reliable solar power and internet connectivity have transformed the learning environment for 115 students. Teachers now report higher engagement, new opportunities for digital lessons and annual savings of more than AUD 6,000 in fuel costs, reinvested in classroom improvements. Find out more and watch a short film about the pilot’s impact here and below:

In Solomon Islands, Superfly is installing solar hybrid systems at Goldie College and Sir Dudley Tuti College. Around-the-clock electricity will enable longer study hours, safer dormitories and better access to digital learning for more than 1,400 students and teachers. Find out more.

In Papua New Guinea, over 200 students at Kokoda College now have access to reliable, renewable power through a new solar mini-grid. Delivered by the Kokoda Track Foundation and the Australian Government through a #DFATBPP pilot that was completed in March, the system powers classrooms, an IT lab, water and waste facilities, as well as supporting climate-smart agriculture on campus. Find out more.

And in Vanuatu, the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) is working with local partners to bring solar power and clean water to schools and health centres across Santo, Paama, Tanna and Malekula islands. By training community members in system maintenance and governance, the project is creating local jobs and building long-term energy resilience for 4,700 people. Find out more.

Every classroom lit by solar tells a story of possibility, of girls studying safely at night, of teachers using technology to open new worlds and of communities reinvesting savings back into education. As we move closer to COP30, these projects remind us that climate action is also about equity and opportunity. Clean, reliable energy is lighting up futures: one school, one student and one community at a time.

These transformative education projects are made possible through the Pacific Climate Infrastructure Financing Partnership (PCIFP), a $350 million initiative delivered by the Australian Government’s Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP) and implemented by Palladium.

Follow along each week as we share a new story on the road to Belém.

The post Lighting up learning across the Pacific and Timor-Leste appeared first on REnew Pacific.

Just a week earlier, Respond Global’s HELPR-1 vessel had repaired and refurbished the existing solar power system at the clinic. Thanks to clean, 24/7 energy, the nurse was able to support Mary deliver and her baby boy safely and with dignity, during a time when they were both at their most vulnerable.

This is one of many stories the HELPR-1 team encounter on their life-changing mission to install 20 new solar systems and upgrade another 20 health facilities across Vanuatu. With support from the Vanuatu National Green Energy Fund (NGEF) and REnew Pacific, the team is also supplying medical equipment, repairing schools and clinics, training community members, and safely removing e-waste. Now more than halfway through, the project is on course to deliver reliable power to health centres that tens of thousands of local people depend on in some of Vanuatu’s most remote communities. Find out more.

As we hit the halfway mark in our countdown to COP30, we are focusing on a matter close to us all: the right to safe, reliable healthcare, powered by clean energy. Supported by the Australian Government through REnew Pacific and earlier pilots under the Business Partnerships Platform, local partners are lighting up health centres with clean, renewable energy across the region.

In Papua New Guinea, Caritas Australia has been working with Catholic Church Health Services, TAG Energy, Bechtel.org and the Australian Government to bring solar power to Lavongai and Mapua health facilities in New Ireland Province, improving care for the 12,000 people they serve. Find out more.

In Timor-Leste’s Cova-Lima Province, the MEA Power Up partnership with Master Electricians Australia and the Australian Government has improved services at clinics in Gala and Holpilat. With new solar systems, batteries and water pumps, these facilities now provide safer conditions for patients and health workers, while work continues to extend upgrades to other sites. Find out more.

In Solomon Islands, more than 43,000 people depend on the Good Samaritan Hospital (pictured) in Tetere, Guadalcanal, including 21,500 women who rely on it for maternity and child health care. Through a partnership with Superfly, completed late last year, the hospital now meets 97.3% of its energy needs with solar. This reliable, round-the-clock power has enabled safer night-time care and generated savings from 19,000 litres of avoided diesel use, reinvested into new facilities including expanded foot care services and a soon-to-open eye clinic. Find out more.

Further east in Malaita Province, Superfly is also leading upgrades at Atoifi Adventist Hospital through REnew Pacific. The hospital serves more than 80,000 people but has long struggled with blackouts that interrupted emergency care, maternity services and vaccine refrigeration. A new solar hybrid system will soon provide 24/7 reliable electricity, transforming the hospital’s ability to deliver essential care. “With 24-hour solar power, we can deliver safer surgeries, consistent vaccines and uninterrupted maternity care. This project is a life-saving investment for the people we serve,” said Lester Asugeni, Community Representative on the Atoifi Hospital Board. Find out more.

Every solar installation is a promise of safer care: a baby delivered under steady light, vaccines preserved, health workers able to use essential equipment without fear of power cuts, and so much more. Across the Pacific and Timor-Leste, these projects are ensuring that reliable energy means reliable healthcare, so that community members – no matter where they live – can receive the care they need at life’s most critical moments.

These transformative healthcare projects are made possible through the Pacific Climate Infrastructure Financing Partnership (PCIFP), a $350 million initiative delivered by the Australian Government’s Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP) and implemented by Palladium.

Follow along each week as we share a new story on the road to Belém.

The post Bringing light to life-saving healthcare services across the Pacific and Timor-Leste appeared first on REnew Pacific.

Delivered in partnership with the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), the Water Authority of Fiji and the Department of Water and Sewerage, the project will upgrade water infrastructure across seven sites on Lakeba, Rotuma and Vanuabalavu.

Each site will transition from diesel-only pumping to solar-hybrid and water tank systems, improving water security while cutting fuel costs and emissions.

The project will benefit around 4,900 people and includes storage and remote monitoring features to support long-term reliability and service delivery. It also provides training and support to local water authorities and communities, with a strong focus on inclusion for women and people with disabilities.

This is the first REnew Pacific water project in Fiji and will serve as a model for scaling sustainable water solutions across the Pacific.

REnew Pacific is the Australian Government’s $75 million investment in off-grid renewable energy for rural and remote communities across the Pacific and Timor-Leste, including Fiji.

Over the next five years, REnew Pacific will continue to support community-led projects that bring clean, reliable energy to remote and rural off-grid communities, powering everything from lighting and clean water to healthcare, education and local enterprise.

REnew Pacific responds directly to the Pacific’s call for urgent climate action, showcasing Australia’s climate leadership and partnership in tackling the region’s greatest shared challenge. It sits within the Pacific Climate Infrastructure Financing Partnership (PCIFP), a $350 million initiative delivered through the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP) and implemented by Palladium.

Visit the project page to find out more.

The post Clean water through clean energy for 4,900 people across Fiji’s remote maritime islands appeared first on REnew Pacific.

With just six weeks to go in our countdown to #COP30, we’re sharing stories that highlight how women’s leadership is creating new opportunities, strengthening communities and shaping a more inclusive clean energy future across the Pacific and beyond. These stories come from projects supported by the Australian Government through REnew Pacific and earlier pilots under the Business Partnerships Platform (BPP) Off-Grid Renewable Energy Partnerships.

In Fiji, licensed electrician, Vasiti Talakubu, is helping roll out off-grid solar systems in schools, working on the recently announced REnew Pacific partnership with Its Time Foundation and its earlier BPP pilot. Classrooms that once relied on torchlight or kerosene lamps now have safe and reliable power. Known affectionately as “Solar,” Vasiti also runs her own business and mentors young women to pursue careers in STEM. She is breaking barriers in a male-dominated field and showing communities that women can lead the way in technical roles. Read her story here.

In Timor-Leste, Felisbela Pires, a local engineer, is leading a partnership with Engineers Without Borders Australia, Raw Material and Mara Mresa to replace costly diesel generators with solar to power coffee processing hubs. The systems are improving bean quality, opening higher-value markets and providing additional energy for refrigeration, fabrication and connectivity beyond the coffee season. Felisbela is also mentoring 12 young Timorese women engineers, building the next generation of leaders. Read her story here.

In Kiribati, Michiyo Yamada, is championing inclusive approaches to clean energy through her role at Action on Poverty. On Aranuka Island, she has helped lead a partnership with the Foundation of the Peoples of the South Pacific Kiribati and PowerTech Energy to deliver solar-powered water pumps and electricity to schools and community houses. By embedding a strong gender lens in the project, Michiyo is ensuring women benefit directly from energy access while stepping into leadership roles that strengthen community resilience. Read her story here.

In Vanuatu, Laylyn Toa, is managing the Fixim Sola initiative made possible through a BPP partnership with UNSW. The program is building skills for solar repair and maintenance across the islands, with women stepping into hands-on technical roles and proving they can excel in the energy sector as small business owners. Laylyn’s leadership is helping create pathways for more women to take up technical careers in renewable energy. Find out more about the project here.

In Papua New Guinea, Esther Wartovo, is helping families in Bialla access affordable solar through her dual role as a MiBank and Sola PayGo agent. She supports households to finance systems, educates customers on their use and helps small businesses extend their working hours. Her work is opening doors for women in energy and strengthening community services. Find out more about the project here.

The BPP recently launched the Women in Power series, celebrating these remarkable leaders. In the weeks ahead, readers will hear more from Laylyn, Esther and others as they share their journeys and the incredible impact in their local communities they are making. Stay tuned!

These stories of women powering change come from partnerships delivered through the Pacific Climate Infrastructure Financing Partnership (PCIFP), a $350million initiative for climate infrastructure in the region delivered by the Australian Government’s Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP) and implemented by Palladium.

Follow along each week as we share a new story on the road to Belém.

The post Meet the women leading the Pacific’s clean energy future appeared first on REnew Pacific.

Many of these schools currently rely on costly diesel generators that run for only a few hours a day, which limits learning, digital access and safety.

By installing high-quality off-grid solar systems and computer labs, the project will help close the education gap for thousands of students across mainland Viti Levu and outer islands including Rabi, Taveuni, Kadavu, Moala, Kabara and the Yasawas.

The initiative builds on the successful pilot at Buakonikai Primary School, delivered under the BPP Off-Grid Renewable Energy Partnership. Just months after installation, the school reported improved learning outcomes, better digital access and more than AUD 6,000 in annual fuel savings, which was all reinvested in education. Find out more and watch a short film below about the project:

Rob Edwards OAM, Founder, Its Time Foundation, said: “This new partnership marks a major step forward in our mission to ensure every child in Fiji has access to safe, modern education, regardless of where they live.

“We’re building on the success of our earlier pilot to bring reliable solar power, internet connectivity and long-term sustainability to 30 more remote schools. It’s not just about clean energy – it’s about opportunity, equity and lasting impact for communities across the Pacific.”

Kaushik Lal, Senior Education Officer, Ministry of Education, said: “Providing solar power to remote schools brings light to classrooms, hope to students and relief to teachers. It powers learning, reduces costs and protects the planet, turning every sunrise into a promise of opportunity, resilience and a brighter future for education.”

Now scaled through REnew Pacific, the project introduces a dedicated maintenance model backed by the Solar Fund (Fiji), along with Starlink internet and basic computer labs to support e-learning. Fuel savings will help cover ongoing costs, making the systems financially sustainable for schools long into the future.

Delivered in partnership with Fiji’s Ministry of Education, the project also supports gender equity through training for women in solar installation and technical trades.

REnew Pacific is the Australian Government’s $75 million investment in off-grid renewable energy for rural and remote communities across the Pacific and Timor-Leste, including Fiji.

Over the next five years, REnew Pacific will continue to support community-led projects that bring clean, reliable energy to remote and rural off-grid communities, powering everything from lighting and clean water to healthcare, education and local enterprise.

REnew Pacific responds directly to the Pacific’s call for urgent climate action, showcasing Australia’s climate leadership and partnership in tackling the region’s greatest shared challenge. It sits within the Pacific Climate Infrastructure Financing Partnership (PCIFP), a $350 million initiative delivered through the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP) and implemented by Palladium.

Visit the project page to find out more.

The post Remote Fiji schools switch on to solar power and digital learning appeared first on REnew Pacific.