Rural electrification in Vanuatu

Author: 

Stockmayer, Manfred | Subbarao, Srikanth

Year: 
2015
Publisher: 
UNDP MDG Carbon
Place: 
Vanuatu

Access to modern energy services is a prerequisite for sustainable development. In Vanuatu, only one third of households have access to electricity, most of which are connected to the government regulated grid in the two main urban areas (Port Vila and Luganville). Yet 75 per cent of Vanuatu’s households live in rural areas, where only one in six homes, under half of the schools (42 per cent), and one in four health facilities have some self-generated electricity (mainly fossil fuel based). Hence Vanuatu has, at 17 per cent, about the same level of rural electrification as the most underdeveloped countries of Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Government of Vanuatu is well aware of these needs and challenges, and is developing effective responses in association with development partners to address the issues. This is being done through key government policy statements and national action plans which include the Government’s Priority and Action Agenda (PAA) 2006- 2015, the National Energy Road Map (NERM), and the Scaling-up Renewable Energy in Low Income Countries Programme (SREP). }The NAMA represents an opportunity for sustainable development for Vanuatu, and at the same time an opportunity for low carbon development. The government can build on the existing policy framework, which targets the implementation of various policies, plans and actions aimed at mitigating GHG emissions while achieving sustainable development, so as to define a comprehensive and coherent NAMA development framework for Vanuatu. }

The NAMA will receive capacity development support over a period of five years. Initial efforts will focus on securing national and international funding as well as establishing the institutional structure. The first five projects in each of the two interventions will be prepared and implemented in the years 2016 and 2017. Upon availability of additional funding, further projects can be implemented in the two interventions. After the implementation of the interventions, the NAMA will operate over a period of 15 years. 

Work regions: 
Global
Publication Type: 
Publication language: 
English
Files: 
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