Tokelau is a dependant territory of New Zealand comprising of three very small coral atolls in the South Pacific Ocean. Last week it installed its third and the last section of a solar energy grid meaning that it was now totally dependant on using solar powered energy.
The project cost $7 million and was advanced by New Zealand’s International Aid and Development programme to replace diesel power on Tokelau.
The project was managed by Powersmart Solar that are the biggest solar power business in New Zealand. Their Managing Director, Michael Bassett-Smith commented: “Electricity expenses make up a huge portion of their budget in Tokelau, which makes it hard for them to invest and look toward to the future, so there’s a very clear financial argument for this system.”
As a result of the completion of this solar panel project the cost of importing diesel will be saved. It had been costing around $825,000 per annum to import 2,000 diesel barrels every year so that the 1,400 inhabitants had electricity. Not only will there be a significant cost saving but there will also be a huge benefit to the environment and climate change.
Tokelau is very vulnerable to changes in the climate as it is a mere two meters above sea level and would be one of the first locations in the world to notice such a change. In fact there has already been quite a lot of erosion of the coastline.
The project was a huge logistical challenge having to transport the 4,032 solar panels to the atolls and install them at a location 300 miles from anywhere else.
Let us hope that the rest of the world sits up and realises that if this many solar panels can be installed in such a remote offshore location that so much more can be done along similar lines.
