Support Unit Energy Expert Panel working to promote low carbon growth in the Pacific

The Energy Expert Panel, led by Salim Mazouz for the Climate Partnership Support Unit, met for the first time in October 2019 to map out how they will work together, to support our aid investments in the energy sector, bringing extensive expertise and experience accelerate renewables, access to clean, secure, affordable power and low carbon economic growth in Pacific Island countries. With the costs of renewables and storage both coming down fast and electrification in the transport sector also at a transformative tipping point, Australia has an important opportunity to help Pacific Island people achieve economic growth and resilience fueled by clean energy, and avoid locking into a high cost, high carbon future. The panel members are already working on two projects requested by aid investment programs and are also collaboratively scoping a pilot to demonstrate a cost-effective development led approach to off-grid renewables that could be scaled through donor and private investment.