The Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Green Climate Fund (GCF), and the Government of Australia have signed an agreement to develop renewable energy in Tonga. The total grant for expanding the reach of sustainable energy in the African country amounts to $44.6 million.

“The Tonga Renewable Energy Project will help Tonga make an important shift from the heavy dependence on imported fossil fuels for power generation to using clean, renewable energy sources,” said Carmela Locsin, the ADB director general for the Pacific.

According to the company’s statement, the project which was approved in March 2019, will help improve the energy security and access for people in the outer islands of Eua, Vava’u, O’ua, Tungua, Kotu, Mo’unga’one, and Niuafo’ou, where energy access is low and limited.

The project is funded under the ADB-supported Pacific Renewable Energy Investment Facility, which supports renewable energy projects in ADB’s 11 smallest Pacific island developing member countries.

The project will also provide technical solutions, such as battery energy storage systems, to promote more private sector investments in renewable energy.

ADB is one of the few financial institutions that has been at the forefront of making sustainable technologies accessible in different parts of the world.  In 2018 alone, ADB made commitments of new loans and grants amounting to $21.6 billion (~₹1.5 trillion).

Previously, Mercom had reported when ADB announced that it would provide $12.2 million (~$873 million) financing for renewable energy projects under the Pacific Renewable Energy Investment Facility. This facility was approved in 2017 and is an initiative to develop renewable energy projects in 11 Pacific islands’ developing member countries.

In March 2019, Green Climate Fund also announced the approval of approximately $299.2 million (~₹21.2 billion) to finance programs for electrification, combating climate change and economic development through renewable energy across Africa.