The Solomon Islands has secured USD 1.58 million (about €1.5 million or SBD 12.8 million) in funding for the Sustainable Energy from Biogas in Solomon Islands (SENBIOSIS) Project, aimed at expanding access to clean energy in rural areas, reports Bioenergy Insight.
The funding was approved at the 18th Joint Committee Meeting of the Cooperation Programme involving the governments of Pacific Small Island Developing States and the governments of Italy, Austria, Luxembourg and Spain. The decision followed the submission and formal presentation of the project by the Permanent Mission of the Solomon Islands to the United Nations during the committee’s annual meeting, held on October 24 in New York at the Permanent Mission of Italy to the UN.
The SENBIOSIS Project focuses on providing clean and renewable energy in rural communities through the installation of biogas plants. These plants will use organic waste to produce energy for cooking and electricity, helping to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels and firewood.
A central feature of the project is the creation of a revolving fund, designed to support the installation of biogas plants through subsidised loans. The fund is intended to make the technology more affordable, support long-term operation, and allow more communities to take part even after the initial phase of the project.
The project will be implemented jointly by the United Nations Development Programme in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock and the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification. The Development Bank of Solomon Islands will be responsible for managing the revolving fund.
The main funding for the project comes from the Government of Italy through its Ministry of Environment and Energy Security. SENBIOSIS is the fourth project supported in the Solomon Islands under the Cooperation Programme, which brings together Italy, Austria, Luxembourg and Spain to support development priorities in Pacific Small Island Developing States.
