Increasing Access to Renewable Energy Project - Second Additional Financing

Approved

The proposed Second Additional Financing project will build on the outer islands component of the Increasing Access to Renewable Energy Project (IAREP) and replicate the productive uses of energy (PUE) and sustainable blue economy (SBE) elements introduced in the first additional financing of IAREP. The proposed project will install battery energy storage systems (BESS) in the outer islands of Nukufetau, Nukulaelae and Nui to enable the full utilization of the solar photovoltaic array being installed under the ongoing IAREP. The new lithium-ion BESS will replace lead-acid batteries installed in the last ten years. The project will also install PUEs and SBEs relevant to each island and could include electric vehicles (bikes, motorbikes, boats) and charging stations, ICT equipment for connectivity and disaster preparedness, ice-making and water supply facilities. The project will also upgrade the distribution grids in Funafuti and in the three outer islands to ensure climate change and disaster resilience.