Solomon Islands: Renewable Energy Development Project (ADB-57006-001)

Regions
  • East Asia and Pacific
Geographic location where the impacts of the investment may be experienced.
Countries
  • Solomon Islands
Geographic location where the impacts of the investment may be experienced.
Specific Location
Guadalcanal, Malaita, Henderson, Honiara
Whenever identified, the area within countries where the impacts of the investment may be experienced. Exact locations of projects may not be identified fully or at all in project documents. Please review updated project documents and community-led assessments.
Financial Institutions
  • Asian Development Bank (ADB)
International, regional and national development finance institutions. Many of these banks have a public interest mission, such as poverty reduction.
Project Status
Proposed
Stage of the project cycle. Stages vary by development bank and can include: pending, approval, implementation, and closed or completed.
Bank Risk Rating
B
Environmental and social categorization assessed by the development bank as a measure of the planned project’s environmental and social impacts. A higher risk rating may require more due diligence to limit or avoid harm to people and the environment. For example, "A" or "B" are risk categories where "A" represents the highest amount of risk. Results will include projects that specifically recorded a rating, all other projects are marked ‘U’ for "Undisclosed."
Borrower
Government of Solomon Islands
A public entity (government or state-owned) provided with funds or financial support to manage and/or implement a project.
Sectors
  • Energy
The service or industry focus of the investment. A project can have several sectors.
Investment Type(s)
Grant, Loan
The categories of the bank investment: loan, grant, guarantee, technical assistance, advisory services, equity and fund.
Investment Amount (USD)
$ 15.00 million
Value listed on project documents at time of disclosure. If necessary, this amount is converted to USD ($) on the date of disclosure. Please review updated project documents for more information.
Loan Amount (USD)
$ 10.00 million
Value listed on project documents at time of disclosure. If necessary, this amount is converted to USD ($) on the date of disclosure. Please review updated project documents for more information.
Grant Amount (USD)
$ 5.00 million
Value listed on project documents at time of disclosure. If necessary, this amount is converted to USD ($) on the date of disclosure. Please review updated project documents for more information.
Primary Source

Original disclosure @ ADB website

Updated in EWS Jan 31, 2024

Disclosed by Bank Feb 20, 2023


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Project Description
If provided by the financial institution, the Early Warning System Team writes a short summary describing the purported development objective of the project and project components. Review the complete project documentation for a detailed description.

As stated by the ADB, the proposed project aims to (i) improve energy security by increasing the clean energy share in the country's energy mix, which is dominated by fossil fuel generation (over 97%); and (ii) contribute to sector reforms for better governance and public-private partnership (PPP) enabling environment in the development of renewable energy.

The SIREDP comprises of the following three sub-projects:

Sub-project 1 – involves installations on two sites in Honiara:

• Sub-project 1a involves approximately 1.0 MWp ground-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) array to be installed in Henderson, a site south of the Honiara International Airport. The solar PV array will connect to an adjacent 11kV overhead power line located either within the project boundary or within close proximity to avoid any resettlement impacts.
• Subproject 1b will install an approximate 4 MW / 4 MWh of storage capacity at the Honiara Power Station, adjacent to an existing 11kV switchboard where electrical integration
will occur. Another 5 MW / 20 MWh BESS will be installed with grid-forming battery inverters at the Honiara East substation.

Sub-project 2 – Ambu Solar Hybrid will install a solar and battery hybrid system comprising of a 1.5 MWp solar PV ground mounted array and 1.0 MW / 4.0 MWh battery system storage as well as auxiliary components such as electrical substation, switchboard, high-voltage distribution system and controls / communications.

Sub-project 3: This subproject will pilot rooftop solar photovoltaic generation on two schools, one in Guadalcanal and one in Malaita.

Early Warning System Project Analysis
For a project with severe or irreversible impacts to local community and natural resources, the Early Warning System Team may conduct a thorough analysis regarding its potential impacts to human and environmental rights.

The ADB categorized the project E&S risks as follows:

Environment B
Involuntary Resettlement C
Indigenous Peoples C
Investment Description
Here you can find a list of individual development financial institutions that finance the project.
Private Actors Description
A Private Actor is a non-governmental body or entity that is the borrower or client of a development project, which can include corporations, private equity and banks. This describes the private actors and their roles in relation to the project, when private actor information is disclosed or has been further researched.

As stated by Bloomberg, Hydro-Electric Corporation [Entura], doing business as Hydro Tasmania, provides utility services. The Company offers hydro and wind powered electricity, water management, and environmental research services. Hydro-Electric serves residential and commercial customers in Australia.

Private Actor 1 Private Actor 1 Role Private Actor 1 Sector Relation Private Actor 2 Private Actor 2 Role Private Actor 2 Sector
- - - - Entura (Hydro-Electric Corporation) Contractor Energy

Contact Information
This section aims to support the local communities and local CSO to get to know which stakeholders are involved in a project with their roles and responsibilities. If available, there may be a complaint office for the respective bank which operates independently to receive and determine violations in policy and practice. Independent Accountability Mechanisms receive and respond to complaints. Most Independent Accountability Mechanisms offer two functions for addressing complaints: dispute resolution and compliance review.

ADB Team Leaders:

Rafayil Abbasov - Senior Energy Specialist
Email: rabbasov@adb.org

Ingrid Fitzgerald - Gender Specialist
Email: ifitzgerald@adb.org

Michelle Dooley - ADB Safeguards Specialist
Email: mdooley@adb.org

Executing Agency - Ministry of Finance and Treasury:

Address: P.O.Box 26, Honiara, Solomon Islands
Website: http://www.mof.gov.sb/Homepage.aspx

Implementing Agency - Solomon Islands Electricity Authority:

Address: PO Box 6, Head Office Ranadi, Honiara
Phone: +677 166 / +677 167
Fax: +677 39472
Website: https://solomonpower.com.sb/

ACCESS TO INFORMATION

You can submit an information request for project information at: https://www.adb.org/forms/request-information-form

ADB has a two-stage appeals process for requesters who believe that ADB has denied their request for information in violation of its Access to Information Policy. You can learn more about filing an appeal at: https://www.adb.org/site/disclosure/appeals

ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM OF ADB

The Accountability Mechanism is an independent complaint mechanism and fact-finding body for people who believe they are likely to be, or have been, adversely affected by an Asian Development Bank-financed project. If you submit a complaint to the Accountability Mechanism, they may investigate to assess whether the Asian Development Bank is following its own policies and procedures for preventing harm to people or the environment. You can learn more about the Accountability Mechanism and how to file a complaint at: http://www.adb.org/site/accountability-mechanism/main.

How it works

How it works