RENEWABLE ENERGY IN THE MARSHALL ISLANDS

 

The Marshalls Energy Company Inc. (MEC) has all the management systems in place and has commenced operations to install the solar home systems in the remote outer islands. MEC has established the required banking facilities and procedures to ensure accountability and compliance with the funds made available for the program.

All project funding allocated to the program, upon release from the RMI Ministry of Finance, are deposited into a special MEC renewable energy account set up specifically for the program and governed by MEC’s accounting principles. The funds in this account are controlled jointly by the management of MEC and the principals from the Ministry of Resources and Development. As works progress on the program, all applications for payment for works completed must be justified with detailed supporting data and submitted for verification. All claims are then checked and certified correct by both the management of MEC and Ministry of Resources and Development Energy office. All project payments are in the form of checks from the renewable energy account and require two approved signatories, one each from MEC and the Min. of R&D.

Marshalls Energy Company is audited every year by the international Auditing Firm Deloitte and the accounts for this program will be included as part of the annual MEC audit operation.

With the management systems in place, progress in now being made with the activation of the Mejit Island installations. Work was completed in October of 2005 with 80 new systems being installed. Current funding limitations limit MEC to investigating the communities of Wotho and Wodmej as the next locations to receive the solar home systems. Field trips to each location will be undertaken within the coming months to finalize the number of systems required, as well as conducting public awareness meetings with all the recipients of the systems. It is planned to have both these atoll groups systems being installed in January 2006.

Extensive publicity regarding the solar home systems program has been undertaken over the years in anticipation of the works starting and as such most people are aware of the general requirements of the program. The public awareness meetings are required to be held to fully explain the situation regarding the operation and maintenance of the systems and MEC’s role in the program.

 The program is divided into two parts, the installation phase and the operation phase. The installation phase is funded entirely by a combination of RMI Government and International aid funding. The operation phase is designed to be self funding. This is achieved by collecting a US$100 ‘connection fee’ for every system prior to installation. This fee is collected by MEC and held in a separate working account to be used primarily for the purchase of additional spare components for the installed systems relating to that particular atoll. Additionally a monthly fee of US$12 is to be collected from each system user to supplement this fund. If the system user becomes delinquent in their payments then the system will be disconnected from service until such time the account is paid in full. The operational funds collected are held in separate accounts for each atoll and are to only be used for the payment of expenses in keeping those systems running within that atoll. This will include the payment of wages to the local technicians living on the atoll maintaining the systems as well as all the spare parts required. Currently this system is in operation on Namdrik Atoll and is working effectively. Any surplus realized from the operation of the system is then used to improve the quality of the systems provided by either increasing the power outputs available or upgrading the quality of components used in the systems.

 In association with the installation works, a detailed renewable energy database comprising details of all systems installed in the Marshall Islands is being compiled. This is being done on an island by island basis as works proceed throughout the Marshall Islands. This is being combined with detailed mapping information (GIS) systems currently in use by MEC and being made available to the program to record the locations of every system installed. When completed, this data will provide detailed information of every installation on every island or atoll which will form the basis of valuable data assessment in years to come.

All Renewable Energy Projects are coordinated through the Ministry of Resources & Development - Energy Office

KEY STAFF.

RMI Energy Planner                  Ms. Angeline Heine      email -

Assistant Energy Planner           Mr. Walter Myazoe       email -

International Advisor                                                          email -

MEC Solar Engineer                   Mr. Billy Schutz             email - bschutz@mecrmi.net

MEC Chief Technical Officer     Mr. Steve Wakefield     email - swakefield@mecrmi.net

SOLAR SYSTEMS

 MEJIT Island Solar Power System            Installed and operating

 NAMDRIK Atoll Solar Power System         Installed and operating

WOTJE Atoll Solar Power Systems            Installed and operating

 WOTHO Atoll Solar Power System            Installed and operating

Arno Atoll Solar Power System                     Installed and Operating

Likiep Atoll Solar Power System                   Installed and Operating

Ailinglaplap Atoll Solar Power System          Installed and Operating

Ebon Atoll Solar Power System                     Installed and Operating

Aur Atoll Solar Power System                       Installed and Operating

Mili Atoll Solar Power System                       Installed and Operating

Majuro Atoll Small Islands Solar                   Installed and Operating

Maloelap Atoll Solar Power System              Installed and Operating

Lib Island Solar Power System                      Installed and Operating

Lae Atoll Solar Power System                       Installed and Operating

Namu Atoll Solar Power System                    Installed and Operating

Ailuk Atoll Solar Power System                    Installed and Operating

 

INE Elementary School System - Arno Atoll         Installed and Operating

INE School Commissioning Report

Ebon Elementary School System - Ebon Atoll       Installed and Operating

 

Take Elementary School System - Ebon Atoll       Installed and Operating

Mejit Elementary School System - Mejit Island    Installed and Operating

MEJIT School Commissioning report

Majkin Elementary School System - Namu Atoll   Installed and Operating

MAJKIN School Commissioning report

CURRENT PROJECTS:

EU/SPC NorthREP project link http://www.spc.int/edd/en/north-rep-project

ROC Funded Solar Streetlight Project - Majuro Atoll

Targeting areas at the ends of the main feeders which are the areas affected most due to planned or unscheduled outages. Project is ongoing but to date 116 lights have been installed. Additional lights are being sourced to continue the project through the town section.

Renewable energy/Streetlights/Installation manual-RMI Version.pdf

Details on pole mounted battery box.

Majuro Hospital Grid connected System - Gov't of Japan funded 205kW system

Commissioned April 2012. Operating now.

System output can be monitored  by requesting access to the website by emailing meccorp@mecrmi.net

ROC funded Solar lights for Basketball Courts

Installation of solar light sets being done in Majuro, Ebeye and several outer islands.

ROC funded Grid Connect systems on various Basketball courts up to 1MW total capacity

PIFS Outer Island R/O Systems for small schools

WIND SYSTEMS

Wind monitoring project - underway

One Wind monitoring tower has been erected in Jaluit Atoll on Jabor island, on the Jaluit High School campus.

Second Wind monitoring tower has been erected in Wotje Atoll on Wotje Island at the Northern Islands High School.

JALUIT ATOLL WIND MEASURING SYSTEM

Installation and system data - Report - Jaluit

Measured data recorded to date - wind data - Jaluit

WOTJE ATOLL WIND MEASURING SYSTEM

Installation and system data - Report-Wotje

Measured data recorded to date - Wind data - Wotje

HYBRID SYSTEMS

Rongrong Island Power system - Majuro Atoll -Proposed Upgrade

Wotje Island Power System - Wotje Atoll - Proposed Upgrade

   Wotje island Energy Audit Data.

Jabor Island Power System - Jaluit Atoll - Proposed Upgrade

  Jabor Island Energy Audit Data 

BIOFUEL SYSTEMS

Outer Island mini mill power systems - on hold

Majuro Station One - Engine #3 upgrade & conversion - Engine parts and equipment procurement nearing completion. Engine rebuild work is expected to start before Xmas 2012 and continue for several months. The rebuilt generator will be commissioned and run in on diesel fuel for up to six months then the transition to a blended fuel operation will commence.