Niue

Niue is the least populated REP-5 country with a population of approximately 1,450 permanent residents, most of which are concentrated in and around Alofi, the capital. The single-island state has an electrification rate of 97%, and the Niue Power Company (NPC) -- the sole provider of electricity on the island -- generates power using diesel fuel. The NPC's generating capacity is 1.4 MW, its peak load 700 kW, and its annual consumption is 3 GWh. Electricity is sold at NZ$ 0.50 - NZ$ 0.70 per kWh, depending on monthly consumption.

Before the REP-5 intervention, approximately half of households used LPG for cooking, with the remainder using electricity. Petrol is the most commonly used fuel for transportation, with 90% of petrol imports going to land transportation. Experience with renewable energy technologies in the past has been limited mostly to solar water heating on government housing and hotels. A photovoltaic pumping system was installed in the mid 1990s, but the tracking system that was used for the PV panels broke down and the system became inoperable a few years after installation. Biomass is used on a small scale for crop drying.

The REP-5 projects are expected to reduce the amount of diesel fuel used at the utility by 188,000 L/year, and the CO2 emissions by 437 tons/year.

Renewable energy projects

Grid-connected PV systems

Niue received grid-connected PV arrays for its hospital (30 kWp ground-mounted), for its high school (20 kWp roof-mounted), and for the NPC office (2 kWp roof-mounted). The NPC built the ground-mounted support structure and installed the systems under the supervision of the installation contractor in July 2009. The staff were also trained in operation, maintenance and monitoring of the PV generators. The combined 52 kWp of PV arrays are expected to generate 73 MWh per year, or roughly 2.4% of the current electricity consumption. Diesel fuel savings at the NPC are expected to be 18,000 L  per year, which translates into a CO2 emissions reduction of 53 tons.

The total cost of this project is € 350,000.

20 kWp PV array on roof of high school in Alofi
                                                                                                                                   Source: Herb Wade

30 kWp PV array on ground-mounted support structure in front of hospital
                                                                                                                                   Source: Herb Wade

Solar water heaters

A total of 240 solar water heaters were supplied and sold to homes at a discount. Installation was done by local companies, which will also be responsible for maintaining a spare parts inventory and for servicing. To be eligible for a discounted water heater, homeowners were required to pay an installation fee and to have plumbing ready for the solar water heaters. It is expected that the solar water heaters will reduce electricity consumption in Niue by displacing electric energy for water heating.

The total cost of this project was NZ$ 710,000.

A solar water heater installed in Niue
                                                                                                       Source: IT Power

Energy efficiency projects

Supply of LPG cookstoves

LPG cookstoves were supplied to homes at a discounted price in order to displace the use of electricity for cooking. A total of 380 stoves, including LPG cylinders and gas fittings, were delivered in August 2008. Local tradesmen were hired to install them and local companies will be responsible for maintaining a spare parts inventory and for servicing. 

In addition to providing the cookstoves, REP-5 assisted Niue in securing a cheaper, safer, and more reliable supply of LPG. Reliability was improved by replicating a similar structure to the one used for the import of petrol and diesel, to make sure that the use of the LPG stoves is not going to be discontinued as a result of not having LPG in the island. Saftey standards will also be put in place to make the supply of LPG safer.

The total cost of this project was NZ$ 525,000

Energy efficiency awareness campaign

An energy efficiency awareness campaign aimed at the general population has been running in parallel with the renewable energy activities to complement the reduction of electricity consumption through technological changes and to maximize the benefits of the introduction of solar PV systems to the island. The campaign has included village meetings, radio spots and TV programmes, amongst other actions.

Other projects

In addition to the main renewable energy and energy efficiency projects, supporting projects have also been funded under REP-5. Old LPG cylinders that are unsafe will be disposed of and recycled in New Zealand. Furthermore, REP-5 will assist in drafting legistlation that will broaden the Extended Producer Responsibility system (EPR), which currently only covers aluminium cans, to cover the recycling of white appliances (e.g. refrigerators, electric stoves, freezers, washing machines). This will assist Niue in properly disposing of its electric stoves when they get replaced by LPG stoves.