IRENA
International Renewable Energy Agency
GLOBAL
RENEWABLE
ENERGY
ISLANDS
NETWORK
global renewable energy
islands network
Islands face particular energy challenges. Costly imports of
fossil fuels, for one, can burden island budgets and inhibit
investment in socio-economic development. Indigenous
renewable energy resources, in contrast, can reduce this
import dependence while creating important local business
and employment opportunities.
Recognising the broadly similar concerns of many islands
around the world, the International Renewable Energy
Agency (IRENA) has formed the Global Renewable Energy
Islands Network (GREIN). Islands, donors and partners are
welcome to share information through the network.
GREIN was created following the Malta Communique
on Accelerating Renewable Energy Uptake for Islands,
issued by ministers and other officials from 48 countries
in September 2012. The Malta Communique called upon
IRENA to establish GREIN to encourage the sharing of
knowledge and best practices to speed deployment of
renewable energy on islands.
Island electricity prices
Island electricity prices
US cents/kWh
70
60
50
40
30
20
European Average
10
0
Bermuda
Marshall
Islands
Grenada
Tuvalu
Seychelles Barbados
Maldives
Source: Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC), national utilities and Eurostats
kWh = kilowatt-hours
Fiji
Spending on fossil-fuel imports
Percentage of GDP
25%
20%
15%
10%
World Average: 4.6%
5%
0%
Source: World Trade Organisation and World Bank
GDP = gross domestic product
FOCUSING KNOWLEDGE AND INTERESTS
GREIN provides a platform for pooling knowledge, sharing
best practices, and seeking innovative solutions to accelerate
the uptake of clean and cost-effective renewable energy
technologies on islands. By showcasing the business case
for these technologies in a wide range of island settings,
GREIN aims to spur more and more islands to invest in them.
Assistance in these endeavours comes through thematic
“interest clusters” that facilitate discussion on six main themes:
»» Roadmaps for Deployment
»» Power Grid Integration
»» Resource Assessment
»» Tourism Applications
»» Desalination
»» Waste-to-Energy Systems
As part of the ongoing development of an IRENA Knowledge
Gateway, participants in these clusters will also be enabled to
share information and best practices continuously through
an advanced web platform. IRENA will support the clusters
through roadmap design, grid-stability assessments,
resource-assessment guidelines, technology analyses and
workshops addressing island challenges.
Roadmaps for Deployment
Roadmaps can help islands find practical ways to scale up
renewable energy, whether in the power sector (using wind,
solar, geothermal, hydro, marine or biomass resources to
generate electricity for mini-grids), transport sector (with
electric vehicles or locally produced biofuels), or building
sector (with solar hot water, solar or sea water-based air
conditioning, and rooftop solar cells). Roadmaps are already
under development for Cyprus in the Mediterranean, the
Maldives in the Indian Ocean, and Kiribati in the Pacific.
•
Islands share their strategies for expanding the use of
renewable energy in the power, transport and building
sectors.
•
IRENA helps islands develop such strategies based on
cost-effective opportunities.
(1)
Desalination
Islands need drinkable water for both residents and visitors.
Water is expensive to bring in from overseas, making
islands a natural market for desalination technologies
using indigenous renewable energy resources. Work
on this assessment is underway in partnership with the
Fraunhofer Institute in Germany. Pilot studies will follow
for renewable desalination on selected islands.
•
Islands share best practices for the use of renewable
energy to desalinate water.
•
IRENA prepares an assessment of cost-effective pairings
of renewable energy and desalination technology at
island scale.
Photographs:
(1) UNELCO Vanuatu Ltd; (2) Cape Verde Ministry of Economy, Growth and Competitiveness;
(3) Shutterstock (4) IRENA/‘A Soakai (5) Shutterstock
Power Grid Integration
Renewables can displace costly diesel fuel for electricity
generation. Base-load renewables (such as hydro, marine,
and geothermal power) can help to integrate a greater
share of variable renewables (like solar and wind power).
Technical studies can help determine the achievable share
of renewables in the energy mix. Such assessments are
underway for the Maldives, Kiribati and Samoa and are
planned for several more islands in the Pacific.
•
Islands examine how much renewable power can be
reliably integrated onto their grids, depending on the
types of renewable resources available and the status of
grid development.
•
IRENA performs grid-stability assessments for islands
aiming to increase the renewable share.
(2)
Waste-to-Energy Systems
Islands can produce large quantities of waste, which is costly
to ship away. Waste-to-energy systems take care of this
problem while also generating electricity. Cost savings on
waste disposal effectively reduce electricity costs. The range of
options for conversion of organic waste streams to electricity
will be evaluated in partnership with research institutions.
•
Islands share best practices for the conversion of solid
and organic waste to energy.
•
IRENA works to identify and highlight cost-effective
waste-to-energy systems for islands of different sizes.
Resource Assessment
Islands possess vast wind, solar, geothermal, hydropower,
marine, and bioenergy resources.
Detailed resource
measurements can facilitate the financing of projects
on the ground. Detailed wind measurement guidelines
have been completed to support pilot projects for wind
generation on islands.
•
Islands exchange data on wind, solar, geothermal and
hydropower resource potential, utilising the Global
Atlas of Renewable Energy hosted on the IRENA
website.
•
IRENA prepares guidelines for detailed resource
assessments and encourages pilot projects to help
attract investment.
(3)
Tourism
Island hotels need large amounts of energy for hot showers,
air conditioning and electric appliances.
Renewable
technologies, such as solar hot water, solar and sea water
air conditioning, and rooftop photovoltaic panels, provide
cost-effective options to meet this need, reducing hotel
electricity bills and operating costs. Partnerships with hotels
and tourism authorities, in cooperation with the World
Tourism Organization (UNWTO), will generate momentum
for investment.
•
Island hotels share case studies of cost-effective
investment in solar hot water, solar and seawater-based
air conditioning, photovoltaic electricity, and energy
efficiency measures.
•
IRENA helps to document and promote cost-effective
investment options.
FAR-REACHING PARTICIPATION
Nearly 40 countries and territories, including four-fifths of
the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) among IRENA
members, have expressed interest in one or more GREIN
clusters. These countries and territories include Antigua,
Australia, Cape Verde, Comoros, Cook Islands (NZ), Cyprus,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Fiji, France, Germany,
Greece, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, India, Iran, Jamaica,
Madagascar, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Martinique (France),
Mauritius, Nauru, Nevis, Nicaragua, Niue (NZ), Palau,
Seychelles, Solomon Islands, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines, Sudan, Thailand, Tonga, United States,
Vanuatu and Yemen.
(4)
Tourist-dependent
Islands
Tourist-dependent Islands
Share of Share
tourism
in GDP
of tourism
in GDP
Fiji
St. Lucia
Barbados
Cape Verde
Bahamas
Maldives
Palau
Vanuatu
Seychelles
Cook Islands
Antigua and
Barbuda
0%
10%
20%
Source: World Travel and Tourism Council
GDP = gross domestic product
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
about irena
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)
is an intergovernmental organisation that supports
countries in their transition to a sustainable energy future,
and serves as the principal platform for international
cooperation, a centre of excellence, and a repository of
policy, technology, resource and financial knowledge
on renewable energy. IRENA promotes the widespread
adoption and sustainable use of all forms of renewable
energy, including bioenergy, geothermal, hydropower,
ocean, solar and wind energy in the pursuit of sustainable
development, energy access, energy security and lowcarbon economic growth and prosperity.
(5)
IRENA
International Renewable Energy Agency
www.irena.org
While this publication promotes the adoption and use of renewable energy, IRENA
does not endorse any particular project, product or service provider.
The designations employed and the presentation of materials herein do not imply
the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of IRENA concerning the legal
status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the
delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.