“Although American Samoa enjoys some of the lowest prices for fuel in the Pacific region, that cost still accounts for about 30 of the 40 cents per kilowatt-hour the American Samoa consumer pays for electricity. This high cost to consumers of such a basic commodity acts as a brake on the economy of our precious islands,” said Lt. Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga, speaking at the Oceania 21 meeting being held in Noumea, New Caledonia.

At this meeting Lemanu is accompanied by ASPA CEO Utu Abe Malae, and DOC Director Keniseli Lafaele, the Lt. Governor’s Executive Assistant Solomona Auelua and Mrs. Pohakalani Mauga.

Lemanu pointed out during his remarks at the meeting that recently, the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) President, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, joined with other mayors to sign a revised agreement to fight climate change by reducing carbon emissions, promoting energy independence and efficiency and developing renewable energy.  “The revised agreement for the first time emphasizes local actions to adapt cities to changing climatic conditions and to build grassroots support for local conservation initiatives…” [Reported by the American Public Power Association].

“It is in that spirit of the U.S. Mayors that I share with you what the small island Territory of American Samoa is doing about renewable energy,” he said. He pointed out that American Samoa has a population of only 55,000  and 76 square miles of land area. However, over the last ten years, 40 to 50 million gallons of petroleum (not counting propane or butane) passed through the port of Pago Pago each year. That represents a transfer of $130 to $160 million out of the Territory each year. 

“Not only that, there is the carbon dioxide emission from burning all that oil — whether from electricity generation, vehicles or fishing boats.”

He explained that the average consumption of electricity per domestic customer is 350 kilowatt-hours, which is above average for Pacific island domestic or residential customers. The average cost of gasoline is $4.25 per US gallon (3.7854 liters) to retail customers.

Lemanu pointed out that last year, Governor Lolo Matalasi Moliga accelerated efforts to develop a renewable energy economy by reviving the American Samoa Renewable Energy Committee co-chaired by the Territorial Energy Office and the utility company, American Samoa Power Authority (ASPA). 

He said the action plans for renewable energy throughout the islands are quite similar and he explained what has been done over the last several years and what they are working on for the very near future in American Samoa.

SOLAR ENERGY PROJECTS

According to Lemanu American Samoa’s utility operates a grid-tied ground mounted 1.75-Mega Watt solar photovoltaic (PV) farm next to the Pago Pago International Airport. The farm injects 200,000 kilowatt-hours each month into the electric grid, replacing 166,000 gallons of diesel fuel each year and eliminates 1,670 metric tons of carbon dioxide emission. The penetration of the PV farm into the main island’s western grid is about 15%.

ASPA is currently using the services of a reputable US/German company to advise on maximizing the renewable energy that can be absorbed by the grid given an optimum storage capacity for stability (for example, batteries).

Thirty-eight customers are currently “net-metered” and represent 600 kilo-watt roof mounted PV panels. The customer exports/imports to/from the utility at a one to one price except at the end of the 12-month reckoning period, when any surplus produced by the net-metered customer belongs to the utility. Presently the utility is developing a special tariff for net-metered customers in order to take into account the capital costs incurred by all customers.

NEXT 18 MONTHS DEVELOPMENT FOR SOLAR PV

Lemanu said a 1.1 Mega-Watt PV Plant is being constructed inside the power utility’s campus.  A 218 kilo-watt solar PV plant is also being constructed at the international airport and will augment the existing farm described earlier. It is being built by the same company that constructed the original farm and is contracted to build a much larger PV farm in nearby Samoa.

The combined production from these two installations will be 1,700,000 kilo-watt-hours per year or a replacement of 120,000 gallons of Diesel fuel.

GEOTHERMAL INVESTIGATION

The Lt Governor pointed out the first phase of the geothermal exploration is complete and a specialized aerial survey, geological mapping, water and soil analysis has identified an area of potential geothermal development on the western part of the main island of Tutuila. The second phase starts this month- July, 2014 and will involve scientific instruments placed in the ground at approximately 100 locations to measure geophysical characteristics over one mile deep into the earth.

Final results of the investigation will determine an exploration program, including test drilling at strategic locations by early 2015.

WIND ENERGY STUDY

A renewable energy firm out of the U.S. has completed a preliminary Wind Resource Map using over one year of wind data, from eleven anemometer sites through the main island. “The wind map will help the utility to accurately analyze potential wind sites for future wind turbine projects. The final study will be completed by September. However, the utility company is already securing sites for wind turbine installations,” said Lemanu.

WASTE TO ENERGY

He pointed out the utility company has signed a Waste to Energy Purchase Power Agreement with a U.S. East Coast company. The technology is pyrolysis / Torrefaction rather than mass burn, and the contractor will design, build and operate the plant at the sanitary landfill on the main island. Construction will begin this year. 

The Waste to Energy plant will utilize 62 tons of waste a day to produce burnable fuel oil that will be used as fuel instead of Diesel. From the 62 tons of waste a day, the facility will produce enough fuel to generate a net 15.0 million Kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. In addition to the fuel oil, the plant will produce char and acetic acid as byproducts.

Both byproducts have commercial use and can be exported profitably to off island buyers. The amount of waste from the process that must be land filled is about 10% of the volume of the usable municipal waste stream, so there will be a 90% reduction in the waste entering the landfill.

The waste to energy plant will also work well with the local island recyclers as the waste will be sorted and metals sorted out. The metals then can be directed to the recycling companies in exchange for their plastics that are a very desirable feedstock for the Waste to Energy plant.

Lemanu said American Samoa is extremely proud to stand together with all Pacific Nations and Territories, and all our friends to make the “Voices of the Pacific” be heard on a global scale.

“Our challenge is to have the world countries follow our initiatives in Actions, and NOT just Words... to start Now and Not Tomorrow.”