The solar farm incorporates ground-mounted photovoltaic panels and battery storage technology that is fully integrated with the island’s diesel power station.

It will produce enough energy to cover about 13 percent of Vava’u’s annual electricity demand and up to 70 percent of the grid demand during peak hours.

The project is being developed by Abu Dhabi based renewable energy company Masdar and is financed through a grant provided by the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development.

Ingenero General Manager of Generation Rodger Whitby said the project would generate significant cost and carbon emissions savings for the Vava’u community.

“The completed solar farm will generate enough power to offset as much as 70 percent of the island’s electricity demand during times of peak generation at noon,” Mr Whitby said.

“This will represent one of the highest penetrations of solar to diesel for a hybrid solar farm anywhere in the world,” he said.

“It will also form an important reference site for similar opportunities in the Pacific and remote Australian mine sites that run on diesel generators.”

International solar developer Ingenero won the contract to construct the solar farm in 2012 after a competitive 6-month tender process administered by Masdar.

Construction began in March 2013 and is expected to be complete by the end of the year.

For more detailed information about the Tonga Hybrid Solar Farm download Ingenero’s fact sheet here www.ingenero.com.au/case-studies.