Ambitious Off-grid Solar Project Underway in Morobe Province

When the sun sets over the water across the Huon Gulf, the villages of Salamaua are plunged into darkness. For a lucky few, expensive gensets sputter to life or outdated and unsafe solar systems hum along, providing a trickle of light and power for a couple of hours. However, for the vast majority of households across rural areas of the country, darkness encroaches around handheld torches and fire light.

Through the Australian Government’s Pawarim Komuniti Partnership program, international development organisation Kokoda Track Foundation (KTF) is helping to bridge the energy gap by installing sustainable, compact and powerful solar light and energy systems across the remote Huon Gulf District of Morobe Province as the third phase of the Light for Learning project.

This ambitious solar project will install over 8,600+ solar systems across Morobe Province. With the project well underway, nearly 50% of community and household installations have been completed, impacting nearly 20,000 people already. A further 13,000+ people will be impacted across the region with the completion of the project.  

“Sustainable development can only be achieved through access to reliable, affordable and safe energy,” says Dr Genvieve Nelson, KTF CEO. “Light provides opportunities for students to study after dark, women and girls to feel safer in communities, supports economic activities, more effective service delivery in aid posts and brings countless other benefits.”

Evaluations of KTF’s previous solar projects in Oro and Western Provinces highlight a range of positive outcomes across education, health, economic, and safety areas, made possible through access to safe, affordable, and reliable solar light and energy. Douglas Kwanding, Light for Learning Installation Team Leader, highlighted the need for the project by sharing, “The biggest impact of this project will be for women and children. We desperately need security for women and girls and lights for children to study. In the future, our students will score good marks.”

This new phase of KTF’s partnership with Pawarim Komuniti Partnerships will extend across three provinces to Morobe, Madang and New Ireland Province. Over 31,100+ households, schools, community facilities and streetlights solar energy and lighting systems will be installed across 280 villages; impacting over 155,000+ people. 

Pawarim Komuniti Partnerships is the Australian Government’s off-grid electrification program for Papua New Guinea. The third phase of the Light for Learning solar project is lighting the way toward sustainable development and expanded opportunities for thousands of people across Morobe Province.