The FINANCIAL — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) on February 13 inaugurated renewable energy facilities in Yap that will strengthen energy reliability and security in the sparsely populated and remote island group of the FSM.
FSM President Peter Christian, Yap State Governor Tony Ganngiyan, Deputy Director General of ADB’s Pacific Department James Lynch, and other development partners participated in the ribbon cutting and power commissioning ceremony. President Christian also gave a keynote speech at the event.
Approved in 2013, the Yap Renewable Energy Development Project, funded by two ADB loans totaling $9 million, supported the construction of a wind farm capable of withstanding typhoons near Colonia, Yap’s only urban center. Grid-connected solar panels were also installed on about five government buildings across the island and new fuel-efficient diesel generators replaced aging ones, according to ADB.
“The project helps the state of Yap achieve a renewable energy future by reducing dependency on imported diesel through the expansion of renewable power generation,” said Mr. Lynch.
The wind farm is expected to generate about 11% of the current delivered electricity supply in Yap, while the solar facilities will produce about 6%. Fuel savings from the more efficient generators will also reduce diesel consumption by about 11.5% from current levels. In total, the project will allow renewable energy sources to replace about 17% of electricity currently generated by diesel generators.
With only 200 kilowatt peak installed from solar panels before the project, the main island of Yap, with a population of 11,400, is 97.6% dependent on imported diesel for power generation, and the economy is highly vulnerable to fuel price movements.
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