As part of our Women in Power series, we are celebrating the remarkable leaders driving the Pacific and Timor-Leste’s clean energy transition.
Nerol Vaekesa knows what it takes to bring reliable, renewable electricity to some of the most remote communities in Solomon Islands. As REnew Pacific’s Portfolio Manager for Solomon Islands, based in Honiara, she works with partners to plan projects, manage risks and get solar systems installed and running in places that are hard to reach so they deliver for the communities they serve.
She came to REnew Pacific after more than a decade working across international development organisations, driven by a passion for development work that has shaped her whole career. She was drawn to renewable energy by the opportunity to help bring electricity to remote communities and see first-hand how that access can transform lives. “Seeing positive outcomes and changes in healthcare, education, safety and economic opportunities is truly one of the best feelings,” she says. “It is heartwarming to see.”
For Nerol, working in renewable energy also offered the opportunity to contribute to development in her own country. As a Portfolio Manager, her work spans strategic oversight, risk and milestone management, site assessments and monitoring visits, reporting and compliance and managing the partnerships that support project delivery on the ground. Much of that work happens behind the scenes but its impact on remote and off-grid communities is real and lasting.
Her portfolio includes REnew Pacific’s partnership with Superfly, which is bringing solar hybrid power to Atoifi Adventist Hospital and two remote boarding schools across Malaita, Western and Isabel Provinces. The project is replacing expensive diesel generators with solar hybrid energy systems, cutting diesel consumption by up to 95% and providing affordable, 24/7 electricity. In Eastern Malaita, more than 81,000 people will benefit from reliable power at Atoifi Adventist Hospital, supporting critical medical services including emergency care, maternity services and medical training. At Goldie College in Western Province and Sir Dudley Tuti College in Isabel Province, more than 1,400 students will benefit from extended study hours, improved learning conditions and greater safety, with reliable power supporting dormitories and classrooms.
After more than a year in the role, it is seeing those results that motivates her most. “It is rewarding to see 24/7 electricity reaching placed that previously had limited or no access to power,” she shares. “I am particularly proud and touched to see hospitals able to operate essential medical equipment that helps save lives, and schools where students can study safely with proper lighting.” For Nerol, knowing that the projects she supports are helping improve healthcare, education, safety and everyday life across Solomon Islands is what makes the work meaningful.
Renewable energy is still a sector where women can be underrepresented, particularly in roles that involve technical work, remote travel and project delivery. Nerol is helping to pave the way for this to change.
“As a woman, I have learned the importance of being confident and resilient,” she reflects. Travelling to remote communities, working with partners and contributing to projects that improve people’s lives has also given Nerol an opportunity to challenge assumptions about who belongs in the sector. She hopes her experience will encourage more women to consider careers in renewable energy and show that women have an important role to play in shaping sustainable development in Solomon Islands.
Looking ahead, Nerol wants to see more women leading projects and organisations across the renewable energy sector, proving what is possible when women are given the chance to lead. She also wants to continue extending electricity to communities that are still without reliable access to power, something she remains deeply committed to.
Her message to young women and girls centres on the value of persistence. “Be passionate about what you want to do and what you are currently doing,” she says. “Work hard, believe in yourself and don’t be afraid to pursue opportunities, even in fields where women are underrepresented. Patience, determination and persistence will carry you through challenges and help you achieve your goals.”
Nerol also has some heartfelt words for the partners and stakeholders working alongside her to deliver projects across the region. “Your commitment to reaching remote and off-grid communities across the Solomon Islands has been inspiring and it has been a privilege to work alongside such dedicated organisations and individuals,” she says.
She is proud of what they have achieved together and the difference those partnerships are making in communities. After all, that difference is ultimately what the work is all about.
“The true power of electricity is not in the energy it provides,” Nerol says, “but in the safety, opportunity and hope it brings to communities.”
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Nerol’s story is part of our broader program, with her management of projects that are providing clean, renewable energy to power healthcare, education and essential services across Solomon Islands.
Across the region, women are stepping into roles that are reshaping how energy is generated, managed and shared. Their leadership is not only powering homes, schools and businesses with clean energy, it is building stronger, more resilient communities and showing what an inclusive energy future looks like.
We’re proud to showcase some of these remarkable leaders through our Women in Power series, which highlights women powering change through REnew Pacific.
