Senator the Hon Penny Wong, Leader of the Government in the Senate, Minister for Foreign Affairs
The Hon Chris Bowen MP, Minister for Climate Change and Energy
The Hon Pat Conroy MP, Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery
The Albanese Government is partnering with Pacific nations to improve energy security and scale up energy grid transition with a $125 million investment in renewable energy.
At COP29, Australia announced the funding which comprises a $75 million investment through the REnew Pacific program and $50 million through the Australia-Pacific Partnership for Energy Transition (APPET) program.
Delivered by the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific, the 'REnew Pacific' program will help deliver off-grid and community scale renewable energy in remote and rural parts of the Pacific.
The program will enable lighting, access to water, improved agriculture, better food security, quality education and health services, reliable communications connectivity and enhanced incomes.
The $50 million APPET funding responds to Pacific priorities to capture more of the benefits of renewable energy investments. This may include energy transition modelling, grid studies, renewable energy project feasibility studies, university collaborations and other activities to support energy transition progress.
It will support the skills and training needed to grow the Pacific's renewable energy workforce and provide practical, Pacific-led support to Pacific governments and energy operators.
Australia recently announced an additional $9 million contribution to the Pacific Regional NDC Hub, which is designed to respond to Pacific requests for support on a range of climate activities.
Funding for APPET and the contribution to the Pacific Regional NDC Hub is being made available by repurposing funds from the Indo Pacific Carbon Offset Scheme (IPCOS), an initiative of the former Government. Existing bilateral commitments made under IPCOS will be honoured where they remain relevant.
