14 October 2014: The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) has reported on progress in the installation of grid-connected solar systems in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). The Pacific Environment Community (PEC) Fund-sponsored project will see a total of 800 kWp (kilowatt peak) installed on the four islands of FSM.

In October 2014, a 200 kWp system was commissioned on the island of Chuuk, and final testing of another 200 kWp system was ongoing in Pohnpei. The systems will form the biggest solar installations in both FSM and among the PEC Fund participating countries. The Chuuk installation is expected to reduce the island’s annual fuel costs by up to US$104,000.

The US$66 million PEC Fund was launched in 2009 by the Government of Japan, and includes an indicative allocation of US$4 million to each of the 14 Forum Island Countries (FIC) for projects in the areas of solar power generation and sea water desalination.

The Governments of 12 FICs have, as of October 2014, successfully accessed the PEC Fund, namely: Cook Islands, Fiji, FSM, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. [PIFS Press Release] [IISD RS Stories on the PEC Fund]