The solar panels in Salelologa have the ability to generate clean and sustainable energy without toxic waste.
Solar power is produced by collecting sunlight through the large flat panels before being converted into electricity.
The Salelologa Solar Panel Station was blessed in April this year as the site for Samoa’s first grid connected solar project.
Solar energy technologies use the sun’s energy and light to provide heat, light, hot water and electricity.
The solar energy is more efficient and environmentally safer than burning fossil fuel.
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“The solar is more environmentally efficient than the fuel because basically it uses the sun and nothing else,” said Project Supervisor, Ivan Joseph.
“There is no harm if there is nothing else that’s being used other than the sun, but diesel, the smoke from it can destroy the environment and cause the damages to the ozone layer resulting in climate change.”
Located on the Electric Power Corporation (E.P.C) grounds in Salelologa, the project was made possible thanks to Samoa becoming the first country to access the Pacific Environment Community (P.E.C) Fund since its inception in 2010.
The installation of Samoa’s 546kWp solar PV grid-connected system is expected to provide significant benefits to the government of Samoa by reducing the use of diesel by around 190,000 litres p.a and realizing costs savings of approximately $570,000 per annum in a country which generates 60per cent of its electricity from diesel.
The project expected to last more than 20 years is spread out over three sites in the country’s main islands, Upolu and Savai’i.
“Today, we are opening Samoa’s first solar system, without storage, that can be connected to the grid, to run in parallel with other energy sources like diesel generators,” Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi said during the official commissioning of the site.
“The original combined capacity of this project is 40kWp. But we are fortunate to increase it to 546kWp through good design and project management.”
Savai’i, the solar photovoltaic project is financed with US4 million grant from the Japanese Government under the auspices of the Pacific Environment Community (PEC) Fund through the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, producing a total capacity of 546kWp from three different locations at Salelologa with 150kWp, Tanugamanono with 150kWp and Vaitele producing 246kWp.
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