What is the Palau solar battery project?

The Palau Solar Battery Project will be the largest such project in the Western Pacific. It will lessen Palau’s imported fuel dependency, a major step towards its ambitious goal of 100%.

Does Palau rely on fossil fuels?

As a small island developing state, the Republic of Palau sought to wean itself off its dependence on fossil fuel for power, which accounts for 99.7% of the country’s power generation. To address this issue, Palau invited Solar Pacific Energy Corporation (SPEC), Alternergy’s solar developer, to develop a clean, renewable energy source.

How will solar energy be produced in Palau?

Solar electricity will be produced by a hybrid 15.3 MWdc (13.2 MWac) solar photovoltaic (PV) plus 10.2 MWac/12.9 MWh battery energy storage system facility. Extensive safeguards to protect Palau’s pristine environment SPEC did not leave any stone unturned to protect the pristine Palau ecosystem.

What will Palau's solar PV project do?

The project, which is also Palau’s first grid-scale solar PV plant, will contribute significantly to the country’s nationally self-determined contribution to meeting global climate targets as agreed in the Paris Accord. These include reaching 35% renewable energy, and reducing energy sector emissions to 22% below 2005 levels, by 2025.

Where is the largest solar-plus-storage project in the western Pacific?

Aerial view of the site. Image: Solar Pacific. The Pacific island country of Palau has welcomed the commissioning of its first large-scale solar-plus-storage project, representing the largest power plant of its kind in the Western Pacific region.

How challenging is a project in Palau?

“With a project in a location as unique as the Republic of Palau, the jurisdiction itself is challenging as the project engineering codes and local requirements are very specific,” DNV energy systems project manager Michael Niu said.