Papua New Guinea: Teacher’s Solar Project

In late 2005, teachers in rural Papua New Guinea (PNG) began receiving photovoltaic systems to light their homes.  The project, funded in part by the World Bank and Global Environment Facility (GEF), has two main objectives: to improve the quality of education in rural areas and to encourage widespread use of solar photovoltaic systems in rural areas where centralized power grids are unlikely.  The initial pilot project targeted 2,500 teacher households in five rural provinces in PNG.

A 1998 Japanese project installed 350 schools in PNG with solar systems, so the concept was not unique in these areas.  Mandatory training alleviated technological fears stemming from the school systems and enabled the teachers to maintain the units themselves.  The GEF support was used to provide low-cost, long-term financing.  The teachers’ salaries generally do not allow for much disposable income and with the rising cost of kerosene, which is used for lighting, the salary deductions help many more teachers afford a solar system.  It is expected that teachers can save one or two months of salary each year.

The project has been very successful.  There are now over 9,000 teachers on the waiting list to receive the solar kits, which have decreased in price by half.  The solar kits are now priced at approximately $618 (USD).  Click here to learn about other World Bank funded solar energy projects and the International Finance Corporation's involvement and here for their recent article.