The Australian Government has recently provided AU$100,000 to the Australian Business Council for Sustainable Energy to fund the Pacific Kerosene Displacement Strategies Project. The project will be managed by the Regional Secretariat of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership.

Melbourne, November 12, 2007

The Australian Government, through the Australian Greenhouse Office, has recently provided AU$100,000 to the Australian Business Council for Sustainable Energy to fund a project in the Pacific entitled Pacific Kerosene Displacement Strategies Project. The project will be managed by the Regional Secretariat of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) to develop a strategy to transfer existing kerosene expenditures to new investments in renewable energy technologies.

The project will raise awareness of the market for small-scale renewable energy projects in the Pacific and will also highlight the different technological alternatives to kerosene and the positive returns possible from investing in such projects.

REEEP selected Barefoot Power Pty Ltd to develop the strategy. Barefoot Power is currently investing in energy infrastructure in the Pacific and the company is developing strategies for the rapid transformation of the kerosene lighting market towards more sustainable and economically viable electric lighting products.

REEEP International Director Marianne Osterkorn stated "We welcome the initiative by the Australian Government to use REEEP as a delivery mechanism for its renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives in the Pacific. The kerosene project is the first of many projects that the REEEP will conduct in the Pacific. Our cooperation with Australia has recently been strengthened due to the new AusAID contribution to the REEEP."

Harry Andrews, Director of Barefoot Power, stated, "One important aspect to the project is the development of strategies and technical information that equip local small and medium size enterprises in the Pacific to redirect a household's kerosene expenditure towards renewable energy products."

REEEP is also supporting a project on Micro-Energy Service Companies (MESCOs) in the Pacific working with the Pacific Islands Applied Geosciences Commission (SOPAC). The project will establish an ESCO model which is expected to have replication potential within and outside the Pacific region.