Assessing Energy Poverty in Tonga - by GoodReturn.org
Blog from the field - Celine our Sustainable Energy Program Manager is in Tonga assessing energy poverty and renewable energy options.
First week in Tonga
Monday 30th of May – After 3 hours of flight delay in Sydney, I finally managed to arrive in Tongatapu, main island of the Kingdom of Tonga. It is 3 o’clock in the morning and I am welcome by the wet and warm air.
I never thought I would find people more laid-back than Australians, but I actually did. The Tongan are the most relaxed of people I have met so far who live in the Pacific. It is highly due to the indolent lifestyle they have on the islands, helped by a hot sun most of the year, beaches and coconut trees all around, and glasses of Kava (the local traditional drink) in the hand.
It may look like a small paradise to you, but unfortunately, life is not always easy for the inhabitants of Tonga.
According to a report from ADB (Asian Development Bank), hardship and p overty are becoming a daily concern for many, as 24% of the population is living under the basic needs poverty line of TOP28.18 (AUD15) per person per week. This situation means that the households don’t have enough financial resources for a basic diet plus for essential elements such as health, education and basic commodities (water and electricity).The population that is first affected by this situation are generally large households (having 6 or more children in the islands is the most common situation), widows and single mothers without regular incomes, and elderly persons without financial resources or children.
Aerial Grid in Tongatapu
Although most of the Tongans have access to food on a daily basis, the access to commodities such as electricity is more problematic as it is really expensive, as per the standard of living, due to the high dependence of Tonga towards fuel and the distance between the different groups of islands. In general, people without enough resources only use it on a minimum-use-basis or, worse, don’t have it at all.
With the sustainable energy project Good Return has a mission to offer a solution to the problem of energy access. We are working with SPBD Tonga, our MFI partner in Tonga, to enable their clients and others in poorer communities to access sustainable energy technologies (renewable energy and energy efficiency products), through sustainable delivery mechanisms and with financing via micro-loans.
By adopting renewable energy and/or energy efficient products, the clients of SPDB will have access to free electricity (after paying the loan) and won’t be dependent on the fuel price fluctuations and the reliability of the electricity distribution network. Moreover, for some products, such as a fuel efficient stove, the negative impact on their daily life and health will be considerably reduced.
The first step of the project has been the assessment of SPBD clients needs and demand in terms of energy, thus my presence in the country.
My main activity is to go to the villages with the SPBD Centre Managers, on their weekly visits to their clients, and to meet directly with the women they are supporting. A brief questionnaire and an introductory presentation about renewable energy or energy efficiency products allowed us to get a clearer idea of the actual demand and the expectations from SPDB clients.
Needless to say that the main remark we get is that, as the electricity is too expensive here, the access to a cheaper (or even free) alternative will come as a blessing for those families who struggle to have ends meet.
Meeting with SPBD clients
I guess that my most intriguing visit has been to a fishermen village where there is neither electricity nor water access, due to the government resolution to relocate the villagers to another place.
However, most of the households had an extended list of appliances that they operate thanks to a generator, despite the fact that its operation is quite costly while using a large quantity of fuel per day. Thus the absurd situation these people find themselves in: having a need to access electricity for their appliances (especially a fridge to keep the fishes in) that implies a certain sacrifice for such luxury.
