10083964Identify and test an appropriate solar-energy storage mechanism for remote households deployment in rural communities of Papua New GuineaClosedCollaborative R&DInnovate UKThis project brings together BPP Renewables (UK) and Pacific Sterling Limited (Papa New Guinea) to identify the most appropriate energy storage mechanism for rural communities in Indo-Pacific countries, with a case study being developed for Irimuku Village, Kikori District, Gulf Province, a rural community in PNG. This project aims to improve the electrification of rural communities, allowing the use of renewable energy methods to be deployed in remote locations with significant constraints, including geographical isolation, thereby improving living standards for the target community. BPP Renewables will provide technical expertise for analysis of potential energy storage methods, with Pacific Sterling to construct a demonstrator household solar battery system with the chosen energy storage method. The demonstrator project will allow the key benefits of the system to be monitored in situ and verify the theoretical performance of the system. The participating community has no current electricity infrastructure, with most households using open fires for lighting and/or cooking. Twenty households will form a sample for the project. An estimated 160 people will be directly impacted through the provision of uninterrupted energy supply, with a baseline survey undertaken during household selection, and a formal monitoring, reporting and evaluation framework recording benefits at the individual and household level. It is anticipated that participating in the project will help households raise their standards of living, supporting gender equality and social inclusion outcomes, as the energy storage method chosen would be low-cost, have a reliable supply chain and be feasible to install in a remote location. The key innovations in this project are a) Identifying an appropriate energy storage mechanism for hyper-specific regional use with significant constraints; b) Real world site testing of this storage method to provide results on its efficacy, efficiency, ease of use and implementation and affordability for target communities; c) A supply chain based on circular economic principles; d) Excess power used for community benefit; e) A sustainable business model that will support deployment rollout. The provision of reliable and affordable energy storage mechanisms allows households and communities to raise their standards of living, supporting gender equality and social inclusion outcomes for women, youth, children and vulnerable community members, such as the aged and those with disabilities. Uninterrupted electricity supports economic participation, safety and security, and education outcomes. Further, it displaces diesel, a carbon-intensive fuel source. Successful project implementation will unlock and de-risk investments in PNG and similar Indo-Pacific countries.