Students in 31 remote and maritime schools located across Fijian islands have received solar and battery storage installations through the REnew Pacific project.
The systems are supported by the Australia government via the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility (AIFFP), and includes training for Fijian women in solar installation and electrical trades.
In March 2026, the Nuku Secondary School in Fiji’s Serua Province switched on a new 16 kW solar power and battery energy storage system (BESS), which supports internet connectivity and digital learning facilities.
The REnew Pacific project includes new or upgraded electrical wiring, Starlink internet and computer labs, with targeted training for women.
Nuku Secondary School Principal Veremo Qalica said that the financial savings by switching from a diesel fuel generator to solar energy is creating opportunities to use savings for investing back into the school.
“The cost of fuel, in the past decade, for the running of the school has been so enormous,” Qalica said.
“From term one when we have full supply of electricity up until today, we have started to see that we have saved huge amounts of money. That money can be diverted to other areas of improvement for the school.”
Nuku Secondary School student Salome Seruwata said since the installation, students can now access laptops and internet whenever they need to.
“Before the solar came, we usually borrowed our teachers’ laptops to use for typing up our projects, but right now the laptops are there and there is internet connectivity.”
Other partners in the projects include Solar Fund (Fiji), It’s Time Foundation, and Fiji’s Ministry of Education.
REnew Pacific is Australia’s $75 million investment in off-grid renewable energy for rural and remote communities across the Pacific and Timor-Leste.
In Fiji, REnew Pacific is also supporting a second project delivered in partnership between the Global Green Growth Institute, the Water Authority of Fiji and the Department of Water and Sewerage, which will install solar-hybrid and water pumping systems in seven maritime island communities, improving water reliability for nearly 5,000 people across Lakeba, Rotuma and Vanuabalavu.
REnew Pacific is part of the Pacific Climate Infrastructure Financing Partnership, a $350 million (USD 246 million) Australian Government initiative delivered by the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP).
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