About the Project
Tonga's economy is small with a narrow export based on agricultural goods. At the same time, it heavily relies on foreign aid and remittances from Tongans abroad to make up for the imbalance of trade. Energy has played an important role in the social and economic development in Tonga. The energy was initially relying on the importation of non-renewable oil, where the fluctuation in the price of oil affects development performance in Tonga. In searching for alternative sources of energy, the Tongan Parliament passed The Renewable Energy Bill in 2009 which provides a legal framework to promote the utilization of renewable energy in Tonga. In June 2010, the Tonga Energy Road Map 2010 - 2020 was launched. The government's decision to shift the focus to more renewable sources of energy was necessary. TCDT saw the opportunity to raise community awareness about the development and change in Tonga's energy sector. This was a follow-up from a previous TCDT project funded under EDF 10 in 2015 titled: "Empowering Village Based Women through Awareness Raising on Sustainable and Efficient Sources of Energy".
Location
Vava'u: Neiafu, Pangaimotu, Hahake, Leimatu'a, Hihifo, Motu (all 6 districts).
Outcome
Increased awareness of Tongan communities about renewable energy, energy efficiency and more efficient use of energy at the household level.
Gas is commonly used for cooking in Tonga
Activities
Conduct Community Awareness Workshops targeting 60 participants from each district. A technical officer from the Department of Energy will present information about the Government policies on energy and key important features of the Tonga Energy Road Map. A representative from the Tonga Power Ltd will present information about electricity generation and distribution and provide advice on how to reduce power bills.
A Participatory Community-based survey w ll collect baseline inforrnation frorn workshop participants on sources of energy used at home for cooking, lighting, transportation, etc.
Selecting of 120 participants from the workshops to collect data on monthly household expenses on energy use for cooking, lighting, transportation, etc to map out behavioral change in energy use as a result of the awareness workshops.
Production and distribution of printed awareness materials, providing advice on ways to use energy wisely and reduce cost.
Conduct a school poster competition and community stove competition focusing on renewable energy and energy sufficiency in Tonga in 2030.
Timeframe: April 2020 - April 2022