Fiji is working towards the goal of 100 percent use of renewable energy by 2036, Infrastructure Minister Jone Usamate said Monday while attending a virtual meeting of the International Renewable Energy Agency on the transition from fossil-based energy to renewable energy.
Usamate said the meeting was crucial for the island nation as it continues to work to meet the energy targets in place as part of the National Development Plan.
Moving to renewable energy will need financial support as well as expertise and the costs are high, he said, adding that as part of its National Development Plan, the ministry is working to move Fiji to 100 percent renewable energy by 2036.
The minister said that the meeting allows participating countries to discuss the challenges they face, and the programs in place to help meet their targets.
"There were a lot of discussions on National Energy Planning and implementing for fostering energy transition, transiting away from fossil phase-based fuel to renewable energy, this is not something that takes time. Some countries might move out from coal to natural gas and then total renewable energy. So the same this for us for Fiji, we want to move out of diesel fuel and more into hydro and biofuel and so forth," he said.
Fiji, with a population of around 900,000, is also among the nations committed to net-zero emissions by 2050, with a goal of 30 percent reduction of carbon emissions from the energy sector by 2030.
Editor: Galia
