The installation marks a major milestone for REnew Pacific’s first Solomon Islands project, led by local renewable energy provider Superfly.

Serving 820 students, including around 600 boarders, as well as staff and community houses, the College previously relied on costly and unreliable diesel generation. The new solar system will now provide dependable power day and night while significantly cutting fuel use and costs.

The system was officially launched by the Honourable Trevor Hedley Mahaga, Member of Parliament for Gao/Bugotu together with the Australian High Commission leaders and the school community led by Principal Dudley Uata.

Australia’s High Commissioner to Solomon Islands, Jeff Roach, said Australia was proud to partner with Solomon Islands in delivering clean, affordable energy solutions that were locally led and sustainable.

“The solar hybrid system installation at Sir Dudley Tuti College demonstrates Australia’s commitment to supporting expanded access to renewable sources of energy in remote and rural areas,” said High Commissioner Roach.

Speaking at the launch event, Honourable Trevor Hedley Mahaga said the investment in Sir Dudley Tuti College was an investment in the future of Isabel Province.

“Reliable solar power will enable brighter classrooms, safer dormitories and dependable services across the campus, giving students and teachers more opportunities to learn, teach and live well after dark,” said Honourable Mahaga.

Sir Dudley Tuti College is one of three sites benefitting from the REnew Pacific project, which will support more than 81,000 people across Isabel, Western and Malaita provinces. In Eastern Malaita, Atoifi Adventist Hospital is receiving a hybrid solar system to power emergency care, maternity services and its nursing school, while Goldie College in Western Province is also installing a new solar hybrid system to support students, staff and surrounding communities.

Gavin Pereira, Director of Superfly, said: “We are proud to deliver this project alongside the Sir Dudley Tuti College community and our partners.”

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. It’s part of 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.

Learn more: https://renewpacific.com.au/project/solar-powering-healthcare-and-education-in-solomon-islands-malaita-western-and-isabel-communities/

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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.

As we continue our countdown to #COP30, we’re highlighting projects supported by the Australian Government through REnew Pacific and its earlier pilots under the Business Partnerships Platform’s Off-Grid Renewable Energy Partnerships. This week we’re shining a solar/hydro-powered light on some of the pilot partnerships where community committees, women’s groups and local organisations are powering the clean energy shift from the ground up.

In Vanuatu, women in the remote village of Lawital on Tanna Island have led the charge to bring clean, reliable solar power to every home. More than 800 people across 115 households are now benefitting from solar lighting and charging systems, five community centres have been powered, and 10 public spaces are lit with solar streetlights. Through training and leadership by the Women I TokTok Tugeta (WITTT) Network, local women are installing and maintaining the systems, supported by ActionAid Vanuatu, PowerWells and the Australian Government. With a PayGo model reinvesting community payments into maintenance, new systems and livelihood opportunities, the women of Lawital are building energy access that is inclusive, sustainable and community-owned. Find out more here and see why it’s important below:

In Kiribati, Action on Poverty and local partner FSPK are bringing solar-powered water and energy to Aranuka Island, supported by the Australian Government. The project tackles two urgent needs – clean water and reliable electricity – while also creating leadership opportunities for women. Infrastructure management committees, now majority women-led, oversee solar assets, collect levies and receive training in governance and financial literacy. These committees are leadership incubators, proving that energy access is also a pathway to empowerment. Find out more here.

In Solomon Islands, the Vavanga community is partnering with Pelena and the Australian Government to expand a micro-hydro system the community has managed for over 30 years. By upgrading the old reticulation network, the project will deliver reliable, affordable energy to all 116 households, unlocking opportunities for businesses and livelihoods. Local governance is central: the Vavanga Community Hydro Committee and the PAVAPO Women’s Group are closely involved in decisions, ensuring the system reflects community priorities while strengthening local leadership structures. Find out more here.

Behind every solar panel and micro-hydro system are the people who make them work and we’re so proud to share these stories. Across the Pacific, these partnerships show that energy solutions work best when they are locally led and community powered. By strengthening governance, championing women’s leadership and supporting local institutions, they are building lasting access to energy and more resilient communities.

These locally-led clean energy partnerships are all part of 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 Clean energy powered by local leadership appeared first on REnew Pacific.