FIJI PINE AND NABOU GREEN ENERGY INK MOU
The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Fiji Pine Limited, Tropik Wood Industries Ltd and Nabou Green Energy Pte Ltd today represents a significant step towards advancing our renewable energy goals through ecosystem-based initiatives.
Minister for Fisheries and Forests, Honorable Alitia Bainivalu highlighted this while delivering her remarks at the signing saying this initiative has the full support of Government as these are vital components of our national climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts.
Hon. Bainivalu said Fiji’s commitment to sustainable energy and forest management will be further enhanced in the coming years after a new partnership to support and further accelerate the development of the biofuel industry.
The purpose of the MOU is to establish a strategic partnership between the parties in two key areas; fuelwood planting and technical collaboration to fully develop, manage and help expand fuelwood plantations on idle leased land managed by Fiji Pine in the Nabou Forest of Nadroga. It reduces the term lease to about 20 years.
“Together, Fiji Pine Limited and Nabou Green Energy will develop and manage fuelwood plantations on idle leased land in Nabou; the initiative is geared towards establishing a stable, long-term renewable fuel supply chain, which aligns with Fiji’s national renewable energy policy,” Minister Bainivalu said.
“Fiji Pine Limited will commence a fuelwood plantation programme focused on fast-growing tree species,” she said.
“With an initial pilot project set on 50 hectares starting this year, the ultimate aim is to produce a target of 150,000 tons of fuelwood annually.
“Nabou Green Energy will purchase all harvested fuelwood, ensuring a reliable and consistent supply, and will facilitate logistics for the fuelwood transportation to the power plant,” she added.
“Nabou Green Energy and Tropik Wood Industries will also engage in an exchange of technical knowledge and operational expertise, aiming to optimise the performance of the companies’ biomass power plants, reduce operational costs, and ensure that their energy production goals are effectively met.”
Fiji Pine Group Executive Chairman, Ratu Rakuita Vakalalabure, while speaking at the signing ceremony said, green furl and biomass practices would be important, especially with Government’s commitment to sustainable energy.
“Fiji Pine is happy to support from a commercial perspective, because it’s good business for us, and a whole good initiative for our landowners, because we can harvest every five years and also pay them stumpage every five years, rather than wait for a full crop of pine” Ratu Rakuita said.
“Commercially, it’s a very viable activity and we’re happy to partner with Nabou Green Energy on this,” he added.
Nabou Green Energy Pte Ltd Chief Executive Officer & Chairman, Seong Min Kim, said he is happy with the partnership because “biomass power has greater advantages as a power source today”.
“Compared to diesel power, which is much more expensive, biomass power is the way to go – it will also boost the local economy, especially for landowners, Kim said.
“In today’s MOU signing, Fiji Pine and Nabou Green Energy will help boost the economy and benefit all stakeholders.”
The MOU which was signed between
Ratu Rakuita and Mr Kim in the presence of Hon. Bainivalu, Acting Permanent
Secretary Forests, Sanjana Lal and CEO TLTB Solomoni Nata, will help Fiji Pine
Limited continue doing research and development on the fast-growing species
that the parties say will be suitable for power generation.