A $14million project by Renewable Energy Solutions had its groundbreaking ceremony at Falelauniu on Friday evening.
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Chaired by businessman, Afamasaga Rico Tupa’i, the bio-fuel company is owned by several local shareholders and one foreign partner.
Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi, who was the keynote speaker, said the company is a welcomed addition to Samoa’s renewable energy efforts.
Part of this is a dream for Samoa to be self-sufficient in supply of renewable energy by 2017.
“That means we no longer rely on imported fossil fuel,” he said.
According to Tuilaepa, the government has more producers of renewable energy than required for Samoa.
“We are accounting for the possibility that some of the approved companies will not be able to take off the ground because the funding has not been able to be negotiated,” said Tuilaepa.
“Already we have cancelled two projects because of that problem.
With the launching this project we are all excited and we have come to realise that the goal is approachable for 2017 to be self sufficient.”
The ground breaking was witnessed by some of the local shareholders and government officials.
Chairman Afamasaga said the project is an exciting initiative.
“It is owned by number of people in Samoa and the finance is from West Indies,” he said.v Asked who the local shareholders are, he said: “I won’t be able to give you those names but you have seen a few people around today (at the ground breaking.”
The project aims to produce electricity by using grass and trees.
Afamasaga said the bio-fuel will be setup on eight acres of land.
“It’s a 24/7 operation,” he said.
“We produce electricity non-stop and feed into the electricity grids and there will be no disruption. We are producing 4Megawatts of electricity for the country.”
The Chairman said the project would generate much-needed jobs for locals.
He estimated that about 60 people would be employed, not including the companies that will be involved in the set up.
Financing the project is a company called the Emunite Fiscal Solutions from St. Lucia, West Indies. The company specializes in bio-fuel and gives financial security for renewable energy projects.
Emunite Chief Executive Officer, Glenrick White, said Samoa’s renewable energy target is to be admired.
“It’s interesting that Samoa wanted to be so far ahead of everybody else as a Small Island Developing State,” said Mr. White.
“The environment (here) is good and the government is behind the big push of renewable energy and people here remind me of Barbados (my home country).”
The C.E.O. was also optimistic about the project and its future.
“We put in necessary security in place if there is a problem in the project we can actually step in and help to keep the project going rather than letting it die.”
“The experience of seeing a project through is we give help, it benefits no one if the company fails.”
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