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Tonga aiming for 50% renewable energy by 2015

Tonga has set its renewable energy target at 50% by 2015, and already has a plan
(the Tonga Energy Roadmap) for how it will achieve this lofty figure.

Tonga is receiving financial support from New Zealand and technical support from the Renewable Energy & Efficiency Program (REEP) in the development of its renewable energy projects

Tonga Starts on its Plan to Achieve 50% Renewable Energy by 2015, Oil Price, By Charles Kennedy , 24 February 2012 As oil prices increase, steady oil supplies become more uncertain, and CO2 emissions continue to increase, many countries around the world are trying to invest in renewable energy sources. The attempt to change from an energy matrix which relies heavily on fossil fuels to one that creates its electricity from renewable sources such as the sun, wind or geothermal energy, should help provide countries with more energy
security in the future. Many nations have therefore set targets to be
achieved before 2020 in which they want a certain amount of their
overall energy consumption to be from renewable energy sources. Russia
aims to create 4.5% of its energy from renewable sources rather than
polluting oil, gas or coal. China hopes to do better by having 15% of
its energy from renewable sources, Australia has promised 20% and
Europe 21%. However all of these countries ambitions have been
thoroughly put to shame by a nation from the South Pacific. Tonga has
set its renewable energy target at 50% by 2015, and already has a plan
(the Tonga Energy Roadmap) for how it will achieve this lofty figure.

The Kingdom of Tonga is an archipelago of 176 islands, of which 52 are
uninhabited, in the South Pacific Ocean. The kingdom is scattered over
an area of 700,000 square kilometres and has a population of just over
103,000.

To be honest it is highly motivated to push for renewable energy, as
it is one of the many low lying island nations that are under threat
from disappearing under the waves if global warming is not
halted……
Tonga is receiving financial support from New Zealand and technical
support from the Renewable Energy & Efficiency Program (REEP) in the
development of its renewable energy projects. Martin Hiller, the
Director General of REEP, hopes that Tonga will provide “a blueprint
for other Pacific Island states that are grappling with similar
challenges.”

Tonga has already signed a memorandum of understanding with the Abu
Dhabi based company Masdar for the order of a 500 kilowatt solar
project to be built on the island of Vava’, to add to the 1 megawatt
solar plant being constructed on the main island of Tongatapu.
http://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Tonga-Starts-on-its-Plan-to-Achieve-50-Renewable-Energy-by-2015.html

February 25, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | OCEANIA, renewable