REnew Pacific’s first Annual Forum showcases off-grid energy in action across the Pacific and Timor-Leste

More than 100 leaders from across government, industry, community and development came together in Suva, Fiji for the REnew Pacific Annual Forum this week.

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.

Thank you to all speakers, panellists and participants for being part of REnew Pacific’s inaugural Annual Forum!

REnew Pacific is Australia’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), delivered through the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP) and implemented by Palladium. 

Find out more about the program.