Abu Dhabi-based renewable energy company Masdar has kicked off the construction for four new solar-power projects in the Pacific island countries of Kiribati, Fiji, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

Financed under the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development’s $50 million UAE-Pacific Partnership Fund, the solar projects will collectively deliver 1.8 megawatts (MW) of clean energy and contribute to fuel savings worth $2 million per year, said a statement.

The completion of the projects is expected by the second half of next year, it said.

The projects highlight Masdar’s role in the region, where it has already delivered the La'a Lahi 'Big Sun' solar plant in Tonga, commissioned in November last year, and Samoa’s first wind farm, commissioned in August.

Both of these projects were also financed through the UAE-Pacific Partnership Fund.

Dr Ahmad Belhoul, chief executive officer, said: “Access to clean energy is a pathway toward economic and social development.

“For Pacific islands, which rely on imported fuel for electricity generation, renewable energy provides a viable alternative. In fact, wind and solar power projects deliver immediate savings, while underpinning long-term energy security.”

The $50-million UAE-Pacific Partnership Fund was launched in March 2013 by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nayhan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs, and administered by the ministry’s Directorate of Energy and Climate Change.

The fund covers the full project development spectrum, from feasibility studies through to operation and maintenance training. Grants are untied, enabling local companies to participate.

Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, director-general of the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, said: “The UAE-Pacific Partnership Fund demonstrates the tangible benefits that renewable energy offers all developing countries.” - TradeArabia News Service