Lighthouses Initiative

International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)

#SDGAction40062

Description

IRENA has developed the SIDS Lighthouses Initiative to support the strategic deployment of renewable energy in SIDS, to bring clarity to policy makers regarding the required steps, and to enable targeted action. As a joint effort of SIDS and development partners, this framework for action will assist in transforming SIDS energy systems through the establishment of the enabling conditions for a renewable energy-based future, by moving away from developing projects in isolation to a holistic approach that considers all relevant elements spanning from policy and market frameworks, through technology options to capacity building.The Lighthouses Initiative has five main objectives:1. Develop and implement a structured approach to island power sector transitions to high shares of renewable energy through a set of guidelines, tools and support mechanisms, thus enabling more efficient use of resources2. Accelerate renewable energy transitions through identification of needs and gaps, and learning from experiences on other islands. 3. Strengthen knowledge base and building of institutional capacity that can handle a rapid and profound transition4. Facilitate development of enabling frameworks for investment5. Identify funding opportunities and facilitate matchmaking between project developers and funding organizations

Implementation of the Project/Activity

Despite recent targeted action, many islands face continued barriers throughout different stages of project development. For example, increased island investment has meant that many islands are in a situation of project overload, creating a need for islands to focus resources on electricity system design and integration before pursuing new projects. Lighthouses help islands assess and address these issues to enable stronger, sustainable development and smart integration of renewables.SIDS Lighthouses will work with partners to apply all operational steps and develop a comprehensive overview of SIDS power sector knowledge, best practice and transformation issues. With partner support, this overview will start to bridge the gap between studies and projects on the ground through innovative deployment mechanisms.Immediate next steps for 2015:- Broaden involvement and expand partnerships- Operationalize Lighthouses in terms of capacity, information and planning, e.g., through quickscans that capture available, necessary information and identify gaps- Intensify the focus and efforts on practical applications and measurable impacts on the road to COP21 in Paris

Capacity

- Renewables Readiness Assessments and roadmaps for islands. Achievements to date:o Five island Renewables Readiness Assessments completed, for Kiribati, Grenada, Fiji, RMI, Vanuatu.o Roadmaps completed for Nauru, Maldives; starting for Barbados and Kiribatio Quickscan completed for Mauritius, Bahamas, Tonga, Kiribati, Samoa, and ten additional ones in progresso Roadmap deployment work started in Cabo Verde and Vanuatu- Knowledge and Best Practice Exchange: GREIN. Achievements to date:o A workshop on renewable energy for islands is planned in Martinique, 22-24 June 2015, in cooperation with the Government of Franceo A follow-up workshop is planned to be held in Bangkok, Thailand, 4-6 weeks after Martinique, to progress the action agenda towards COP21, supported by the Government of Japan.o Knowledge sharing is ongoing in the six focus areas of the Global Renewable Energy Islands Network (GREIN) related to renewable energy for islands: roadmaps, grid integration, tourism, resource assessment, desalination and waste-to-energy.o Tourism partnership dialogue at the ITB in Berlin, 4 March 2015, following up from the two-days event in Cyprus in May 2014- Technical and economic feasibility studies. Achievements to date:o Grid stability studies completed in Palau; ongoing in Antigua and Barbuda, Cook Islands, Samoa, Kiribati and Barbadoso Tariff study completed for Tonga- Enabling frameworks for investment and partnerships. Achievements to date:o Navigator project development workshop held in Cabo Verdeo Development of tools and instruments for project development in cooperation with SIDS and the Government of Germanyo To date, four SIDS projects have been selected for funding through the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development for a total budget of USD 43 million (Maldives and Samoa in the first funding cycle, Cuba and St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the second).

Governed

Lighthouses is facilitated and supported by IRENA Secretariat with a system of focal points.

Partners

Antigua and Barbuda, Mauritius, Bahamas, Nauru, Barbados, Palau, Cabo Verde, Samoa, Comoros, São Tomé and Príncipe, Cook Islands, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Fiji, Seychelles, Grenada, Solomon Islands, Guyana, Tonga, Kiribati, Trinidad and Tobago, Maldives, Tuvalu, Marshall Islands, Vanuatu, Federated States of Micronesia, ENEL, New Zealand, European Union, Norway, France, SE4ALL, Germany, United Arab Emirates, Indian Ocean Commission, United States of America, IRENA, UNDP, Japan, World Bank Group

SDGS & Targets

Goal 7

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

7.1

By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services

7.1.1

Proportion of population with access to electricity

7.1.2

Proportion of population with primary reliance on clean fuels and technology

7.2

By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix

7.2.1

Renewable energy share in the total final energy consumption

7.3

By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency

7.3.1

Energy intensity measured in terms of primary energy and GDP

7.a

By 2030, enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology, including renewable energy, energy efficiency and advanced and cleaner fossil-fuel technology, and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology

7.a.1

International financial flows to developing countries in support of clean energy research and development and renewable energy production, including in hybrid systems

7.b

By 2030, expand infrastructure and upgrade technology for supplying modern and sustainable energy services for all in developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States, and land-locked developing countries, in accordance with their respective programmes of support

7.b.1

Installed renewable energy-generating capacity in developing and developed countries (in watts per capita)

Goal 8

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

8.1

Sustain per capita economic growth in accordance with national circumstances and, in particular, at least 7 per cent gross domestic product growth per annum in the least developed countries

8.1.1

Annual growth rate of real GDP per capita

8.2

Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectors

8.2.1

Annual growth rate of real GDP per employed person

8.3

Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services

8.3.1

Proportion of informal employment in total employment, by sector and sex

8.4

Improve progressively, through 2030, global resource efficiency in consumption and production and endeavour to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, in accordance with the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production, with developed countries taking the lead

8.4.1

Material footprint, material footprint per capita, and material footprint per GDP

8.4.2

Domestic material consumption, domestic material consumption per capita, and domestic material consumption per GDP

8.5

By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value

8.5.1

Average hourly earnings of female and male employees, by occupation, age and persons with disabilities

8.5.2

Unemployment rate, by sex, age and persons with disabilities

8.6

By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training

8.6.1

Proportion of youth (aged 15-24 years) not in education, employment or training

8.7

Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labour in all its forms

8.7.1

Proportion and number of children aged 5‑17 years engaged in child labour, by sex and age

8.8

Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment

8.8.1

Fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries per 100,000 workers, by sex and migrant status

8.8.2

Level of national compliance with labour rights (freedom of association and collective bargaining) based on International Labour Organization (ILO) textual sources and national legislation, by sex and migrant status

8.9

By 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products

8.9.1

Tourism direct GDP as a proportion of total GDP and in growth rate

8.10

Strengthen the capacity of domestic financial institutions to encourage and expand access to banking, insurance and financial services for all

8.10.1

(a) Number of commercial bank branches per 100,000 adults and (b) number of automated teller machines (ATMs) per 100,000 adults

8.10.2

Proportion of adults (15 years and older) with an account at a bank or other financial institution or with a mobile-money-service provider

8.a

Increase Aid for Trade support for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, including through the Enhanced Integrated Framework for Trade-Related Technical Assistance to Least Developed Countries

8.a.1

Aid for Trade commitments and disbursements

8.b

By 2020, develop and operationalize a global strategy for youth employment and implement the Global Jobs Pact of the International Labour Organization

8.b.1

Existence of a developed and operationalized national strategy for youth employment, as a distinct strategy or as part of a national employment strategy

SDG 14 targets covered

Deliverables & Timeline

17 December, 2021

Mobilize USD 500 million in funding for renewable energy transition in SIDS

17 December, 2021

Deploy 100 MW of new solar PV

17 December, 2021

Deploy 20 MW of new wind power

17 December, 2021

Deploy significant quantities of small hydropower and geothermal energy and a number of marine technology projects

17 December, 2021

Ensure all SIDS develop renewable energy roadmaps

Resources mobilized

Other, please specify

IRENA to act as facilitator providing in-house expertise, analytical support, matchmaking and fundraising support.

Other, please specify

SIDS governments to provide staff and in-house expertise to undertake the initial SIDS Lighthouse assessment involving the collection and analysis of relevant information and data, as well as of projects currently under development

Other, please specify

Development partners to provide technical, financial or other assistance

Partnership Progress

Title	Progress Status	Submitted
Partnership Progress 2018-07-08	On track	08 July, 2018
Partnership Progress 2017-05-15	On track	15 May, 2017
Partnership Progress 2016-06-16	On track	16 June, 2016