Lelepa Feasibility Study Report

The wonderful Lelepa island, part of the Roi Mata’s Domain and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is interesting not only in its culturally important role, but also in its development potential. As part of the Prove of Concept project (POC), the project team was able to carry out an initial infrastructure test with its innovative swarm technology and equip five buildings on the island with solar power based on a Flex-Grid1 meter based mini-grid.The project has shown that thanks to the modular and simple technology, a solar power project can be carried out in the shortest time and with minimal preparation. In the specific case of the POC, the practical work consisted of a one-day site visit and a two-day installation phase. After the installation, conventional alternating current was immediately available to the residents and has since been used actively by the local population.The technology was very well received by the local population. The simplicity (comparable to a diesel generator) and flexibility were highlighted. The pay-as-you-go approach was also welcomed and the tax of 450 VT per month for a basic service was considered reasonable.We would recommend continuing the project by electrifying the entire island as proposed in this study. However, after the very positive result of the POC, we would also recommend examining the application possibilities for further projects, since the application possibilities go much further than could be tested in the area of the prove of concept and could substantially stimulate the economic potential of other villages.