SOLOMON ISLANDS NATIONAL ENERGY POLICY AND STRATEGIC PLAN

Volume 1

SOLOMON ISLANDS

NATIONAL ENERGY POLICY

2014

MINISTRY OF MINES, ENERGY AND  RURAL ELECTRIFICATION

VOLUME 1

SOLOMON ISLANDS

NATIONAL ENERGY POLICY 2014

Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.................................................................................................................................. 1

PART 2: A FRAMEWORK FOR THE NATIONAL ENERGY POLICY AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION.................................................................................................................................................................................. 4

2.1                        Vision.................................................................................................................................................... 4

2.2                        Mission................................................................................................................................................. 4

2.3                        Broad outcomes................................................................................................................................ 4

2.4                        Guiding principles............................................................................................................................. 4

2.5                        Energy sub sectors............................................................................................................................ 5

PART 3: POLICY OUTCOMES AND STATEMENTS.............................................................................. 7

PART 4: LINKING THE POLICY TO THE STRATEGIES AND INVESTMENT PLANS................ 13

PART 5:  SCALE OF IMPLEMENTATION.................................................................................................. 20

5.1                        Institutional framework................................................................................................................... 20

5.2                        Governance and regulation............................................................................................................ 21

5.3                        Monitoring and evaluation.............................................................................................................. 21

ANNEX 1: List of organisations interviewed and consulted................................................... 22

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1:    Planning coordination, leadership and partnership strategies

and investment costs....................................................................................................................... 13

Table 2:    Electric power (urban) strategies and investment costs....................................................... 14

Table 3:    Electric power (rural) strategies and investment costs.......................................................... 15

Table 4:    Renewable energy strategies and investment costs............................................................. 16

Table 5:    Petroleum and alternative liquid/gaseous fuels strategies

and investment costs....................................................................................................................... 17

Table 6:    Renewable energy strategies and investment costs............................................................. 18

Foreword

I am pleased to present to you the Solomon Islands National Energy Policy, which presents the priorities of the government and the strategic directions for key initiatives in the energy sector over the next ten years to facilitate sustainable economic development. This policy     is an improvement on the 2007 policy and is closely linked to the National Development Strategy of Solomon Islands 2011–2020 and its vision of a ‘united and vibrant Solomon Islands’.

Energy is included in the Solomon Islands National Infrastructure Investment Plan and the National Development Strategy as being integral and important for achieving the goals they have set. Energy is a key driver of economic growth, social development and improvement in the livelihood of communities. Against that context, it is, therefore, important that the policy directions in the energy sector are set right for the planning and implementation processes of the strategies and investment plans. This will ensure that there is conformity and linkages that positively support the development aspirations of other sectors within the   economy.

Solomon Islands has its own challenges and opportunities in terms of our energy situation. Our extremely low national electricity coverage, high energy costs and high dependence on imported fossil fuel are exacerbated by the geographical spread of the archipelago, and this adversely affects our economic and social development. Although our country is blessed with abundant renewable energy resources, it is important that the country utilises its resources wisely and minimises any potentially detrimental effect on economic and social development. The aspiration of the government to increase electricity access that is affordable to the population of Solomon Islands needs policy direction to support effective planning and implementation. Given our high dependence on imported fossil fuel, management of the petroleum sub-sector needs policy direction to ensure safety aspects are upheld and energy efficiency is maintained.

This policy was developed in close consultation with energy service providers, representatives of the government and community, the private sector, and development partners. It is, therefore, a country-owned and led document, and a living document, which can be adjusted in response to future changes and needs that may impact the energy situation of the  country.

For this reason, the government intends to establish an energy advisory committee, comprised of high-level multi-sectoral members tasked with monitoring the progress of the policy against policy performance indicators.

In conclusion, I wish to thank all national stakeholders and development partners for their contributions to this Solomon Islands National Energy Policy. Its implementation requires concerted effort from all stakeholders and I strongly encourage you to continue to support and contribute to the implementation of the policies identified in this document that will help improve the lives of all Solomon  Islanders.

Minister for Mines Energy and Rural  Electrification

Acknowledgements

The 2014 Solomon Islands National Energy Policy (SINEP) was developed through consultative processes, including workshops, interviews and a desktop review of relevant documents. The Energy Programme of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community’s Economic Development Division provided technical assistance for the review and development of the 2014 SINEP. The first in-country visit  was conducted in November 2012 and during the second visit the draft policy was presented at the National Energy Forum held in June 2013. The policy was also presented at the Prime Minister’s Second Roundtable Discussion held in November 2013. It was also circulated to all government ministries and the private sector for the period October to November   2013.

The efforts of the following agencies and persons are greatly appreciated and acknowledged. Their contributions and insights in the review and formulation of the 2014 SINEP were extremely valuable.

 ▶ The Asian Development Bank (ADB) for supporting the renewable energy strategies and investment plan, and their willingness to work together on aligning the policy with renewable energy targets for urban and rural  households;

 ▶   The World Bank Energy Specialist for Solomon Islands for initial comments   provided;

 ▶  The private sector, government officials and NGO participants, regional and international partners at the November 2012 national energy workshop on the review and amendments to SINEP and at the June 2013 national energy forum, all of whom actively and willingly reviewed the draft SINEP and the energy efficiency and petroleum strategies and investment  plan;

 ▶ The presenters at the June 2013 National Energy Forum for their valuable insights into the energy sector issues and challenge: the Central Bank of Solomon Islands, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, the Solomon Islands Electricity Authority, and the private sector’s perspective by Geodynamics Limited and the Inter Action Corporation; and the Foreign Investment Division  for presenting on the business climate and foreign investment in Solomon   Islands;

 ▶ The Deputy Director and staff at the Energy Programme of the Economic Development Division of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community for their endurance and guidance in facilitating the review of the 2007 SINEP, and the formulation of the 2014 SINEP and associated strategies and investment plans on energy efficiency and  petroleum;

 ▶ Pacific Appliance Labelling and Standards (PALS) Programme, funded by the Government of Australia through the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, for additional funding and resources.

Executive Summary

The energy sector is important to the development of the Solomon Islands social, economic and environmental status quo. The National Development Strategy (NDS) 2011–2020 highlights three main focus areas that  reflect the challenges facing   the people of Solomon Islands. These challenges are: (i) poverty alleviation; (ii) access to quality health care and education services; (iii) raising the standard of living; and (iv) improving livelihoods. To combat these challenges, the NDS has the following focus areas:

Overarching focus area: building better lives for all Solomon  Islanders;

Central focus areas: (1) taking better care of the people and (2) improving the livelihoods of the people;

Underlining focus area: creating and maintaining the enabling environment. These focus areas are supported by eight national  objectives.

The Solomon Islands Government (SIG) views its energy sector as a key enabling factor to support its poverty alleviation effort, accelerate access to better health care and education services, and improve the standard of living and livelihoods of communities. At the same time, the SIG appreciates that, in 2009, access to electricity for the urban areas was only 16%. The widely scattered market on islands that are separated by large areas of sea and that have small, isolated communities make sustainable energy development challenging. Energy policy changes are required to increase energy access, private sector participation and foreign investment, and also to create fiscal incentives for improving energy access, efficiency and activities that will contribute to expanding the economic  base.

Solomon Islands has the potential to increase electricity access and use through renewable energy resources and technologies to 100% by 2050. However, increasing the use of these renewable energy resources presents challenges. These include a lack   of enabling environments to foster private investment in the electricity sector and the need to improve funding opportunities (through consolidating funding proposals) and support to assist the Solomon Islands Energy Authority (SIEA) and the Energy Division (ED) in expanding energy access in both urban and rural   areas.

The 2014 Solomon Islands National Energy Policy (SINEP) will provide an enabling platform that will inform decision makers on policy directions and strategies for improving the effectiveness of the Solomon Island energy sector and achieving the NDS 2011–2020 through increased access to reliable, affordable and clean sources of   electricity.

The estimate costs for the implementation of the SINEP is given in the table below.

Methodology

The policy has been developed through the  following;

▶       a desk review of relevant  documents;

▶ review of the 2007 SINEP and 2009 Strategic Action Plan. Some recommendations were made that contribute to  relevant issues in this policy, such as thematic areas and guiding principles to be adopted;

▶  a  participatory and  consultative process, engaging various stakeholders in  face-to-face interviews. Consultations  were done with government departments, development partners, financing institutions, private sector operators and community service organisations. A two-day national workshop was also conducted during the first country visit in November 2012;

▶ a national energy forum was conducted on 19–20 June 2013, at which there was broad participation by all government ministries, the private sector and development partners’ They commented on the draft policy and energy efficiency and petroleum strategies. A list of stakeholders consulted for the formulation of the 2014 draft policy is attached as Annex 1;

▶       presentation of the policy at the Prime Minister second roundtable in October 2013;   and

▶ the draft 2014 SINEP was circulated in October 2013 to all national and regional stakeholders, including the development partners, for final comment. The final comments were compiled and edited in December 2013.

2.  A Framework for the National Energy Policy and its Implementation

The 2014 SINEP is intended to guide energy sector planning over the next ten years (2014–2024) and is expected to contribute to the achievement of Solomon Islands’ national vision: ‘A united and vibrant Solomon Islands’ (see Solomon Islands NDS 2011–2020) and the vision of the energy sector (see 2.1   below).

The policy is also intended to guide the development over the next five years of energy sub-sector strategies and investment plans. It is envisaged that the strategies for the different energy sub-sectors will be integrated into the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification (MMERE) five-year corporate plan, which is mainstreamed into  government financial resources  and budgeting. However, new information should be accommodated and adjustments made to the strategies and investment plans where appropriate and in a timely   manner.

2.1   Vision

Unlocking the development potential of Solomon Islands’ economic base through a dynamic and effective energy sector

2.2   Mission

Provides the base for appropriate coordination, planning, promotion, development and management, and efficient use of energy resources

2.3   Broad outcomes

▶      Strengthen the energy sector leadership and  planning

▶      Increase access to electricity in urban areas to 100% by   2020.1

▶      Increase access to electricity in rural households to 35% by   2020.

▶      Increase access of safe, affordable and reliable petroleum fuels to outer islands and remote rural locations

▶      Increase the use of renewable energy sources for power generation in urban and rural areas to 79% by 2030.

▶      Increase the development and penetration of gaseous fuels and alternative liquid fuels from    indigenous raw materials.

▶      Improve energy efficiency and conservation in all sectors by 10.7% by   2019.

2.4   Guiding principles

The guiding principles are aligned to Solomon Islands; NDS 2011–2020, the regional Framework for Action on Energy Security in the Pacific (FAESP) and the Sustainable Energy for All Initiative Goals. The eleven guiding principles are to be embraced    in the implementation of the  policy.

▶ Whole-of-energy-sector: Instigate a whole-of-energy-sector approach and foster partnerships between the relevant institutions and stakeholders. Each institution’s roles and responsibilities are to be recognised through proper delineation of roles and avoidance of repetitive or overlapping activities. A strong leadership with legal mandates should be developed and strengthened to coordinate planning and management in the energy sector. The whole-of- energy-sector approach also means looking at all the options in a holistic manner – how the energy sub-sectors connect to each other e.g petroleum uses can be minimised through energy efficiency and  conservation. The deployment the energy services and technologies is determined by understanding the community’s needs, the availability of appropriate energy sources rather than a predetermined application, technology and energy   source.

▶ Environment and climate change: The energy sector strives to ensure that the environment is protected through the proper management, storage and disposal of renewable energy accessories and parts, energy efficient technologies and parts, and petroleum fuel wastes. While environmental issues are considered the responsibility of the Environment Department, the onus is on private developers and communities to take responsibility for any waste generated through energy sector activities. Climate change is a risk to the development of the nation and therefore efforts to reduce the carbon footprint through the use of renewable energy technologies and energy efficient measures are considered an important part of this energy  policy.

▶    Capacity building, training and research: Capacity building, training and research in all aspects of the energy sector are continuous efforts that should be integrated into all sub-sector strategies and    activities.

▶     Gender: Gender is to be recognised as an important element for sustainability of energy programmes and provision  of efficient and affordable energy services. The wantok communal system continues to be a barrier in promoting equitable distribution of energy projects and programmes. However, gender sensitive approaches should be  considered

1                ADB 2013; Renewable Energy Investment Plan. ADB TA-8130 SOL: Provincial Renewable Energy Project  (46014-001). Prepared by SMEC International Pty  Ltd.

in understanding the different energy needs of men, women, and children, as well as in recognising the ability to    pay for, operate and maintain the energy services. The gender sensitive approach considers the traditional decision making process and resource ownership and is therefore inclusive of all members of the society or community.

▶ Culture and kastom: the cultural diversity of  Solomon Islands is  to  be valued. Traditional  institutions and  chiefs  form an important part of the country’s social fabric and community and, while they are recognised in the country’s constitution, they are largely left out of formal governance and administrative structures (SPC, Solomon Islands Nasional Policy Framework blong KALSA, 2012). Acknowledging the traditional administrative structure at the community level and the control and ownership of resources (rivers, land, biomass, etc.) is important for access to land, thereby facilitating improvements to renewable energy resources and the installation of renewable energy   technologies.

▶      Land issues: Group and individual identity are defined by their relationship with the land. Of the total land area, 87% is customary land and 13% is alienated land. Alienated land was procured during colonial times and its boundaries are surveyed and registered. Customary lands are not surveyed and boundaries are fixed by geographical features such as rivers and ridges. Therefore ownership can be contested by many communities or land-owners. Promoting energy service systems should consider where land access has been secured and that the resource used should benefit only those communities in order to minimise conflicts over land/resource   issues.

▶   Legislation and regulations: Updating of legislation and regular review of regulations to align to changes and needs for effective governance and management of the energy   sector.

▶ Data management and information: The availability, accessibility and quality of data and information for all key strategic areas are critical in order to make informed decisions and policy interventions. Continued efforts are needed across all sub-sectors for effective and efficient data collection and   management.

▶   Financing: Financing the investment plan is required for implementing the policy with its strategies and activities.   The energy sector is a high capital infrastructure and therefore all avenues for sourcing funding should be a  priority.

▶ Investment: The Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Labor and Immigration (MCILI) is the lead one-stop agency responsible for the formulation and implementation of economic and industrial development strategies for Solomon Islands. The energy sector is currently one of the priority areas for government and this has encouraged investments in both the Savo Geothermal and the Tina River Hydro Development projects. A conducive and enabling environment for investors is required to increase the uptake of renewable energy technologies. To achieve this, action to be taken could include changes to current policies to include more players (at local, regional and international level) through offering a package of trade and investment incentives for renewable energy and energy efficiency, including duty concessions, investment allowances, tax exemption and tax free regions, low corporate tax   rate.

▶ Sustainability: energy sector management should be improved through a stronger emphasis on sustainability principles: economic growth, social development and environmental protection. Therefore, it is very important to recognise the value of natural resources and communities’ contribution and participation in project planning and decision making about energy services and technologies. Development partners and energy service providers should also encompass a user pays principle, support community-based activities that empower communities, and provide services and assistance that will achieve sustainable development with or without external   support.

2.5   Energy sub sectors

The Solomon Islands energy sector is divided into six sub-sectors (thematic areas) that have been identified as important. These include:

▶      planning, coordination, leadership and  partnership;

▶      electric power (urban);

▶      electric power (rural);

▶      renewable energy;

▶      petroleum and alternative liquid and gaseous fuels;  and

▶      energy efficiency and conservation.

Each sub-sector is supported with a policy outcome, policy statement, policy details and key priorities. The strategies and investment plans for the energy sub-sectors are developed as separate documents. All are aligned to the policy vision, mission and goals.

3.  Policy Outcomes and Statements

Thematic area 1: Planning, coordination, leadership and  partnership

Policy outcome 1.1: Strengthened energy sector leadership and planning through an integrated approach to policy implementation

Policy details

The energy sector is vertically structured with the Energy Division responsible for policy development, rural electrification project and administration of The Petroleum Act  1987.

More emphasis on strengthening partnerships at local, national, regional and international levels is required to support sustainability and financing of the energy programmes and   strategies.

Regarding a multi-sectoral coordinating mechanism, an energy advisory committee (EAC) is needed to facilitate the whole- of-energy-sector approach to the planning and management of the energy   sector.

Capacity building through informal and formal training should be key priority for the Energy Division staff in order to raise the quality of the work on renewable energy, energy efficiency and conservation, energy data collection, establishing an energy database, licensing for storage of petroleum products, and petroleum safety standards and  procedures. Monitoring and evaluation of the energy sector through a more strategic approach, including the use of energy security indicators, could be encouraged in order to improve the reporting on the overall status of the energy sector.

Thematic area 2: Electric power (urban)

Policy outcome 2.1: Access to grid connected electricity in the urban areas increased to 80% by 20202

Policy details

The electricity sector is managed by the government-owned company, the Solomon Islands Electricity Authority (SIEA). SIEA is totally dependent on diesel for power generation; 80% of energy is produced for Honiara while 20% is for outstations in eight provincial centres. SIEA has a total of 14,000 customers in 2013. It produces around 78 Gwh of energy annually, using

1.7  million litres of diesel a month for power generation, which contributes to 80% of the total expenses of the company. While SIEA operates in a commercial way, a major challenge is the non-payment of government institutions and commercial and residential customers. The Solomon Islands Sustainable Energy Programme (SISEP) started in June 2009 has improved the operational efficiency, system reliability and financial sustainability of SIEA by improved financial and operational management, reduction of losses, and increased revenue  collection.

The current focus of SIEA, critical to its ongoing financial sustainability is    on:

1. reducing arrears from state owned enterprises, in particular Solomon Islands Water   Authority;
2. addressing metering deficiencies and fraud by large commercial/industrial   consumers;
3. implementing improved financial controls and reporting, including replacing SIEA’s existing general ledger accounting system (WB report no. ISR4675);
4. a tariff review; and
5. professional staff development.

With only 14% electrification rate in the urban areas of Honiara and provincial centres in 2009, SIEA also needs to increase   its renewable energy mix to meet the increasing demand for   electricity.

Thematic area 3: Electric power  (rural)

Policy outcome 3.1: Access to electricity in rural households and institutions increased to 35% by 20203

Policy details

Access to electricity in both the rural and urban areas has made slow progress since 2005. However, there is an increase of 7% rural households that use solar PV systems for lighting in 2009. The 2009 household income and expenditure survey showed an estimate of 71,749 households relying on kerosene and traditional biomass for lighting. There are about 619 primary

2                ADB. 2013. Renewable energy investment plan, ADB TA-8130 SOL: Provincial Renewable Energy Project (46014-001). Prepared by SMEC International Pty Ltd. Page  53. 

schools and health centres that require modern sources of energy. There are 135 high schools and three hospitals that require   a reliable and affordable source of electricity. A capacity of 100 Watts solar PV home systems with batteries (lead acid type)   are appropriate for these rural and remote services and households while off-grid mini and micro hydro–power of 1000 Watts are appropriate at the community level within the specific hydro   site.

Thematic area 4: Renewable energy

Policy outcome 4.1: Use of renewable energy sources for power generation in urban and rural areas increased to 50% by 2020

Policy details

The share of renewable energy for power generation in Solomon Islands in 2009 was only 0.6%. A renewable energy resource summary shows the generating electricity capacity for the different renewable energy   resources:

▶      geothermal: available but not fully explored except for the Savo Island geothermal resource currently being explored with estimated potential between 20 and 40  MW;

▶      hydro: small hydro approximate potential of 11 MW, a total estimated hydro potential of approximately 300 MW;

▶      wind: no detailed wind assessment has been carried  out;

▶      solar energy: solar radiations estimated at 5.5 to 6.5 kwh/m2/day with potential for small, off-grid solar schemes of a total capacity of less than 1  MW;

▶      traditional biomass energy: timber wood/forest waste and biofuel with an approximate potential of 20 MW; and

▶      off-grid biomass/biogas schemes to serve rural communities with total potential of about 500   kW.

The Levelised Cost of Energy (LCOE) for different renewable energy options and technologies shows that solar PV appears   to be the best option for renewable generation in remote villages. Solar PV costs USD 0.24 per kWh, while other options of a hybrid of a solar PV system with a biomass gasifier or with biofuel and hydro have an LCOE between 0.27 and 0.28 USD per kWh, with the exception of wind at 0.50 USD per kWh. However the utility scale renewable generation options such as the Tina Hydro Development Project and the Savo Geothermal will have a lower LCOE.4

Increasing renewable energy largely depends on public policies that foster public / private partnerships and create policy instruments for renewable energy. These policy instruments include the setting up of regulations and standards, quantity instruments, procurement strategies and price  instruments.

Research, development and assessment of renewable energy technology options, including biomass gasification, is considered vital due to the high land mass area of Solomon Islands. The scaling up of successful trials on bio-fuel use for power generation and transport also requires policy  support.

4                ADB. 2013. Renewable Energy Investment Plan TA-8130 SOL: Provincial Renewable Energy Project (46014-001).

Thematic area 5: Petroleum and alternative liquid and gaseous   fuels

Policy outcome: 5.1: Access to safe, affordable and reliable petroleum products and alternative liquid fuels and gaseous fuels increased

Policy details

The energy sector remains dependent on petroleum products for driving the economy, in particular the electricity and transport (land, air and sea) sectors, and therefore it is very important that the petroleum sub-sector is regulated properly    to maintain fair and unbiased prices to both the suppliers and the users. What remains a challenge in Solomon Islands is the proper handling, storage and distribution of the petroleum products in the outer and remote islands. In addition, enforcement of the Price Control Act in the outer islands is not effective due to the lack of human resources and financial constraints. A one cent levy on the imported petroleum product was recommended to assist the Price Control Unit to check that proper prices are applied in rural and remote areas. The Petroleum Act 1978 is also out-dated, with provisions for fines irrelevant  and inappropriate. There are currently no safety and environmental standards due to limited capacity in developing these standards. While there may be international standards that are available, these standards need to be adapted to the local context. Activities related to alternative fuels are limited to small-scale use trials, such as the ADB and SIEA 360 kW biofuel plant trial in Auki. SIEA is promoting the use of coconut oil. In addition, SIEA has a power purchase agreement with Solomon Tropical Products Ltd on using biofuel while a transport trial is being developed in Honiara.

The challenges faced by SIEA in maintaining the use of coconut oil is the shortage of supply due to the limited supply of copra from plantation owners and farmers. There is also competition from well-established exporters to foreign markets with links to local farmers. The potential for harnessing biomass through the gasification process of by-products and forest waste needs to be properly  assessed.

Thematic area 6: Energy efficiency and  conservation

Policy outcomes 6.1

▶       Reduce electricity consumption in Government services by 20% in 2019, while increasing efficiency of service delivery by 2019

▶       Reduce electricity consumption in the residential services by 10% in   2019

▶       Reduce electricity consumption in commercial services by 5% in  2019

▶       Reduce electricity consumption in industrial services by 5% in   2019

▶       Build a sufficient body of expertise within government in order to implement energy efficiency and enegy conservation strategy targets

Increase nationwide levels of awareness leading to strong demand for energy efficiency products and services

▶       Include as mandatory course materials on energy efficiency and conservation at all levels of the  education systems by 2019

▶       By 2019, realise electricity savings of 2.56 GWh from mandatory implementation of minimum energy performance standards and energy labelling for freezers, refrigerators, lights and air conditioning   units

▶       By 2019, fully realise incentives for the purchase and use of efficient vehicles and cooking technologies

Policy details

The standards on efficient appliances and the ways in which electricity use in households, government buildings and public institutions, as well as petroleum use in the electricity and transport sector, are all part and parcel of this energy sub-sector. Information sharing and dissemination on energy efficient practices and appliances is important. Information is more easily conveyed to people through demonstration, yet there have been few demonstrations of energy efficient appliance in past years. A regional programme has been developed to reduce this gap in most countries where energy efficiency has not been  a priority for the government. Solomon Islands needs to commit its resources to promoting, regulating and increasing the use of energy efficient appliances and fuel efficient  vehicles.

4.  Linking the Policy to the Strategies and Investment Plans

The strategies and investment plans5 for each policy sub-sector are developed as separate volumes to this policy document. The Energy Programme of the Economic Development Division of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community is providing technical assistance to the Energy Division in developing both the Energy efficiency and conservation strategies and investment plan (EE-EC-IP) and the Petroleum strategies and investment plan (PS-IP). The ADB has formulated the Renewable Energy Investment Plan (RE-IP), which was adapted to formulate the Renewable Energy Strategy and Investment Plan (RE-SIP). SIEA is formulating its Power sector strategies and action plan which is also aligned to this policy framework.

The strategies for each energy sub-sector are presented in Tables 1 to 6. The strategies are to guide the formulation of short- term and long-term activities for achieving the goals and targets for each sub-sector. The investment costs and responsible agencies are also highlighted in the policy so to  get a  clear estimate of  the capital investment required for  implementing  the policy.

Table 1: Planning coordination, leadership and partnership strategies and investment   costs

*USD 4.18 million (2014–2017) 6

5                SPC, in collaboration with the Energy Division, has developed energy efficiency and conservation and petroleum strategies and investment plans for  2013–2018.

6                Exchange rate : 1 SBD to 0.1264 USD

Table 2: Electric power (urban) strategies and investment  costs

*USD 64 million7 (2014–2017)

7                SIEA Capex Project 2014–2017

Table 3: Electric power (rural) strategies and investment  costs

*Policy statement 3.3 Planned and sustainable energy development consistent with government   objective8

*USD 14.57 million9 (2015–2020) 

8                This policy statement is also relevant to the RE policy statement and strategies

9                Costs only for 619 primary schools and health centres with 2 kW capacity including telecommunication use.

Table 4: Renewable energy strategies and investment  costs

* Policy outcome: Use of renewable energy sources for power generation increased to 50% by 202010

*4.3.1         Develop a clear policy on fiscal incentives e.g tax holiday incentives and duty tax exemptions including loans for renewable energy technology deployment11 *USD 75 million12

10              35% in rural areas by 2020 and 45% of grid connected in the urban and provincial centres

11              The proposed National Energy Advisory Committee TOR is also to approve tax incentives for renewable energy technologies. Therefore, the Income Revenue Department is to be included as one of the members.

12              REIP Report V1.1, page 58, April  2013

Table 5: Petroleum and alternative liquid/gaseous fuels strategies and investment   costs

Table 6: Energy efficiency and conservation strategies and investment  costs

5.  Scale of Implementation

5.1    Institutional framework

The Energy Division is the leading coordinating agency for implementing the policy, while the administration and oversight of the progress is to be monitored by a high-level multi-sectoral committee to be known as the Energy Advisory Committee (EAC). The Ministry of Development Planning and Aid Coordination is the key member of the committee and its coordinating role in promoting congruence between government priorities and donors is considered important. The EAC is to be chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification, with core members from the 12 ministries, as illustrated in Figure  1.

A technical working group (TWG) is required to provide technical advice on the implementation of energy projects and programmes. The TWG will include alternate members from the various energy sub-sectors, including the electricity/power companies, petroleum oil companies, a regulatory body such as the Commerce Commission, the Price Control Unit, and related government ministries and private agencies, including donor partners. The proposed TWG is to report to the EAC on project implementation and progress and is to be coordinated and chaired by the ED, which also provides technical support and reporting to the EAC. The TWG will allow external project partners, such donors, Division or consultants to provide and also get feedback on projects implementations. The proposed institutional structure is provided in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Composition and management structure of the Energy Advisory    Committee

[...]

5.2    Governance and regulation

The current institutional framework for governance and coordination is vertically structured and there is no overall coordination or regulation for the energy sector. Petroleum pricing and storage are regulated through the Price Control Act and Petroleum Act respectively but both acts need updating as the fines are   out-dated.

Consideration should be given to the merits of developing an energy act to mandate new efforts under the policy and subsequent strategies. An energy regulator is to be established under the proposed energy act, which mandates the terms  and conditions of the independent power producers, and regulates standards for off-grid and on-grid connections and other energy sector regulations.

During the National Energy Forum, there was a recommendation that the Commerce Commission be engaged to regulate the RE standards and certification. However, technical knowledge and capacity development are needed to set up and regulate standards for all relevant stakeholders.

5.3    Monitoring and evaluation

To monitor the progress of the 2014 SINEP, a log-frame matrix is to be put together with strategies and activities, performance indicators, means of verification and time-lines. The log-frame matrix will become an implementation plan for the policy. Each energy sub-sector has goals and quantified targets, which can be easily monitored. A review of the implementation plan is to be done annually, and this should indicate what needs to be done if monitoring shows a lack of progress.

The progress of SINEP will be monitored and performance evaluated against the performance indicators of the policy and against the energy security indicators. The 2009 energy security indicators for Solomon Islands can be used as a baseline    for planning and monitoring progress if there is no other baseline information available.

In addition, SINEP outputs should also be monitored according to the NDS objectives and goals. The policy outcomes, statements, strategies and activities are to be mainstreamed into the MMERE Corporate Plan, which then feeds into NDS policies and strategies thus progress to be assessed effectively at a macro   level.

Annexes

Annexw 1: List of organisations interviewed and  consulted