Officials say the islands of Tokelau in the South Pacific Ocean have become the world's first territory totally powered by the Sun. The move is expected to save money and ease the environmental burden of depending on imported fossil fuels.
New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister released a statement about the Tokelau Renewable Energy Project. Murray McCully said Tokelau's three main atolls, or islands, now have enough solar capacity to meet all of their electricity needs. He said until now, Tokelau has been 100% dependent on diesel for producing electricity. That, he said, has burdened the country with heavy economic and environmental costs. The three atolls of Tokelau are Atafu, Nukunonu, and Fakaofo. The group of islands is about halfway between New Zealand and Hawaii and is administered by New Zealand. Together, they have about 1,500 citizens. Each atoll received its own solar power grid system. New Zealand officials estimated the cost of the project to build the three solar grids at around $7 million. The last of the grids was completed earlier this month. It is estimated that oil imports make up to 30% of national income in some parts of the Pacific. The move to solar power could save Tokelau about $1 million a year. One project coordinator said Tokelau would now be able to spend more on social programs to help its citizens. Other South Pacific islands are attempting similar projects. The island nations of Samoa and Tuvalu are aiming to get all of their electricity from renewable sources by 2020. The Cook Islands plans to start moving to solar panels and wind turbines. And most houses in the South Pacific group of islands will begin to use solar water heaters. East Timor's government has promised that no households in the capital, Dili, would be using firewood for cooking by 2015. It also says 50% of the country's electricity will come from renewable sources by the end of the decade. New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully says the country will hold a Pacific energy summit in March of next year. He said the meeting would build on the success of clean and affordable energy solutions for Tokelau, Tonga, and the Cook Islands.
據官方表示，南太平洋的托克勞群島已成為世界上第一個，完全由太陽能供電的地方。此舉可望節省因依賴進口石化燃料，而必須有的開支，也減少對環境的負擔。 紐西蘭外交部長發表了一份，關於托克勞再生能源計畫的聲明。默里． 麥卡利（Murray McCully）表示，托克勞的三個主要環礁島，目前已經擁有足夠的太陽能發電量，以滿足他們所有的電力需求。他說
在此之前，托克勞完全仰賴柴油發電，這使得該國背負了沉重的經濟開銷，和環境成本。 托克勞的三個珊瑚礁島分別是阿塔富（Atafu）、努庫諾努（Nukunonu），和法考福（Fakaofo）。這些群島大約位於紐西蘭和夏威夷的中間地帶，由紐西蘭管轄，總共約有1500 名居民。 每個島上都有自己的太陽能發電系統。紐西蘭官方估計，打造這三個太陽能發電系統成本，大約是700 萬美元左右。最後一組系統在本月初完工。 據估計，在部分太平洋地區，石油進口成本可達全體國民收入30% 以上。改用太陽能發電，每年可為托克勞省下約100 萬美元的開支。一位參與此再生能源計畫的專案助理表示，如此當地政府便能投入更多資金在社福計畫上，造福居民。 其他南太平洋島嶼正在嘗試類似的能源計畫。薩摩亞和吐瓦魯等島國， 目標要在2020 年前達成全部電力來自可再生能源。科克群島計畫電力來源開始轉向太陽能電池板，和風力渦輪機。南太平洋群島的多數家庭，也將開始使用太陽能熱水器。 東帝汶政府已承諾，到2015 年，首都帝利將不會再有家庭使用柴火做飯。它還宣稱在2020年前，該國50% 的電力將來自可再生能源。 紐西蘭外交部部長默里．麥卡利表示，該國將於明年三月舉行太平洋區能源高峰會。他說，該會議將建立在托克勞、東加和科克群島的成功基礎上，持續推廣乾淨，且價格低廉的能源解決方案。 | 
