Suva, Fiji – The Fiji Solar Scholars, a group of community leaders trained in basic solar photovoltaic (PV) technology, put their lessons into practice by installing a new solar PV system at the Fiji Council of Social Services (FCOSS) in Suva. The installation included a two-day training from July 30-31 to equip FCOSS staff with the skills to operate and maintain the system themselves.
The new solar PV system will provide the Fiji Council of Social Services with free, renewable energy to power appliances in the case of a power outage, as well as financial relief from high electricity bills. The FCOSS office is a key coordination hub for civil society disaster response and recovery services, a job that is made difficult when power cuts occur.
Vani Catanasiga, Executive Director at Fiji Council of Social Services says,
“We wanted to ensure that our capacity for disaster coordination during disaster responses would be fully intact even in times when power supply was not in place. We wanted to ensure that we continue to support communities at risk, communities at the frontlines, and many of them rely on us to convey information to authorities like the Disaster Management Office. For us, having this capacity is essential, but we just didn’t have the technical knowledge or network to access it.
On top of that, having seen what communities struggle with in terms of energy prices, and the volatility of market prices, it is important to provide this not only to staff of FCOSS, but also to volunteers. We hope that 350.org Pacific are able to continue this work in other divisions.”
Fenton Lutunatabua, Pacific and Caribbean Program Lead at 350.org says,
“Every Fijian knows what it’s like to live through a cyclone and pray that the power stays on. This is about giving emergency energy to those that help our communities after a disaster, and eventually seeing it replicated out into the vulnerable communities that need it most. Distributed solar energy has the potential to address the high cost of living, energy poverty, and disaster response needs.
350.org Pacific has also consistently called for a Pacific beyond fossil fuels, and while our leaders push for the finance and political will to make this happen, we are doing what we can to at least make this a reality at community level.”
The Fiji Solar Scholars were part of a group of 14 participants from Fiji, Vanuatu and Tuvalu trained in May 2026 by 350.org Pacific and the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC), to plan, install and manage a basic solar PV system. This was an initiative to make renewable energy skills accessible for grassroots communities most in need. The cohort installed two similar solar PV systems in Yavulo Kindergarten, Sigatoka and the Fiji Council of Social Services Western Office in Lautoka earlier this year.
This third installation is a response to the intensifying climate and affordability crises, as Pacific island countries face the economic fall-out of the Iran War, fuel shortages, and mounting climate disasters. The Solar Scholars program will continue with installations in Vanuatu and Tuvalu to address these affordability issues, as members of the cohort across the Pacific pass on the skills they’ve learnt and bring safe, affordable renewable energy to their communities.
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Photo credit: 350.org Pacific
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