New partnerships to energise remote communities across the Pacific and Timor Leste

The Albanese Government is supporting three new partnerships that will deliver off-grid renewable energy to rural and remote communities across Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Vanuatu.

Access to more reliable and clean energy will have community‑wide social and economic benefits, improving household living standards through more cost effective and reliable energy, enabling businesses to operate more efficiently, and creating employment opportunities.

The Off-Grid Renewable Energy Partnerships capitalise on the expertise and technology of businesses, academia and NGOs to address climate change risks and impacts in the region.

The new partnerships include:

• Caritas Australia, Catholic Church Health Services and the Australian Government to improve the energy infrastructure of two essential healthcare services in remote Aitape, Papua New Guinea.
• MEA Power Up, Master Electricians Australia and the Australian Government to enhance four critical health infrastructure sites in Timor-Leste's Cova-Lima Province, including two medical clinics and two water pumping sites, which will benefit from new solar energy systems.
• University of New South Wales, Vanuatu Disability Promotion Advocacy Association, Vanuatu Institute of Technology, Vanuatu Department of Energy and the Australian Government to harness the circular economy to tackle the growing environmental issue of e-waste from solar energy systems.

The Off-Grid Renewable Energy Partnerships are part of the Australian Government's Business Partnerships Platform under the Pacific Climate Infrastructure Financing Partnership initiative to expand the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific's climate investments.

This announcement brings the total investment under the Off-Grid Renewable Energy Partnerships program to $5.8 million in 13 partnerships across six countries. This includes $3.6 million funded by the Australian Government, with the remaining invested by partners through cash or in-kind contributions.

Quotes attributable to Minister Pat Conroy:

"These new partnerships show our commitment to bringing clean, reliable energy to communities in Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Vanuatu. This will help improve living standards and create jobs."

"Working with businesses, universities, and NGOs, we are tackling climate change and supporting sustainable development in the region."