DOI grants ASPA $1.4 MIL for renewable energy projects

The American Samoa Power Authority has been awarded just over $1.4 million in federal grants for two projects — a geothermal drilling program on Tutuila and a renewable energy system for the island of Ofu in Manu’a.
 
ASPA’s funding is part of the $2.37 million that U.S. Department of Interior Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas, Esther Kia’aina announced Tuesday, saying the grant assistance comes under the Empowering Insular Communities (EIC) Program for various clean energy and energy-efficiency projects in the U.S. territories.
 
The goal of the EIC Program is to help the insular areas implement high-priority projects identified in their respective strategic energy plans.
 
In a news release Tuesday, Kia’aina says she is pleased to support renewable energy projects that reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels and help relieve the high cost burden of electricity in the region.
 
“Not only do these projects help build renewable energy infrastructure but they help these communities build climate change resiliency and self-sufficiency,” she said. (The grants include those awarded to American Samoa and two others territories)
 
Responding to Samoa News request for comments, ASPA executive director Utu Abe Malae first pointed out that “all our renewable energy projects” are combined with the American Samoa Renewable Energy Committee (ASREC) and ASPA projects.
 
He explained that ASREC is responsible for promoting renewable energy in the territory and it already has a Strategic Plan in place. “In fact, the plan is so important that it has found its way into the plans or budgets of the federal government,” he said Tuesday evening.
 
Besides the Strategic Plan, the ASREC, chaired by Territorial Energy Office director Tama Sotoa, also has specific renewable energy projects in place: geothermal energy; solar energy, wind energy; waste-to-energy; and hydropower. Details of the plan and projects are available online: www.asrec.net
 
GEOTHERMAL
 
DOI’s Office of Insular Affair news release Tuesday says that $1.13 million is  for the Geothermal Drilling Program to support a slim hole drilling program to test for geothermal potential on Tutuila.
 
ASPA in partnership with OIA and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory completed the geothermal resource assessment phase that provided promising results and recommended moving forward with an exploratory drilling program.
 
Recently, ASPA finished a comprehensive exploration drilling plan and hopes to complete the drilling by December this year. Once developed, geothermal power can be produced as a base load renewable energy resource, meaning it operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week regardless of changing weather.
 
Utu told Samoa News to keep in mind that the next phase in the process of geothermal energy investigation is drilling to determine if the temperature thousands of feet below ground increases rapidly or not.
 
“If it does, then things are looking up for us. If it doesn't, then we have to use the drill rig for something else,” he explained. “Fortunately, that ‘something else’ is drilling for water in new ways and at unusual locations.”
 
OFU PROJECT
 
Under the Manu’a 100% Renewable Energy Initiative, ASPA is awarded $378,262 to support the installation of a hybrid renewable energy system on Ofu island.
 
The hybrid system will include a 341kilowatt (kW) photo-voltaic system along with a battery backup system integrated with the existing diesel generators, said OIA.
 
Once the hybrid system is installed, Ofu will receive up to 85% of its energy from solar power.
 
Utu told Samoa News that ASPA has a contractor working on the Ofu and Olosega islands renewable project. Additionally, the funding needed is around $1.8 million and “we are grateful for the hefty contribution” from DOI/OIA.
 
The balance of the funding for this project will come from contractor financing — taking advantage of certain renewable energy tax incentives — as well as ASPA renewable energy funds, with the help of American Samoa Economic Development Authority bond financing, he said.
 
Utu stressed that the objectives of these two projects are to:
 
•            reduce the carbon footprint - there is too much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
 
•            reduce the reliance on imported and costly petroleum
 
•            dramatically lower the cost of energy to the territory
 
•            in case of  drilling for water (mentioned in the geothermal issue)— to cope with the effects of sea level rise
 
•            in the case of Manu'a: eliminate the subsidy of the cost of electricity in Manu'a; and diminish the risk of oil spills by not shipping diesel oil to Manu'a.
 
“ASPA and ASREC are always grateful to DOI who recognize the importance of the renewable energy projects for the benefit of the people of the Territory,” Utu said.