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Pacific multipliers drive momentum for Waste-to-Energy transformation
Regional collaboration through the PAWES Project accelerates innovation, policy development, and the promotion of sustainable energy education.
The Pacific Adoption of Waste-to-Energy Solutions (PAWES) Project continues to make strong progress across the region in 2025. Through quarterly Multipliers’ Meetings, country focal points, project partners, and scholarship students have worked hand in hand to advance innovative Waste-to-Energy (WtE) solutions, national policy frameworks, and sustainable energy qualifications that empower Pacific communities toward a circular and low-emission future.
Strengthening Regional Collaboration
The 2025 series of PAWES Project Multipliers’ Meetings, held in March, June, and September, brought together representatives from Papua New Guinea (PNG), Samoa, Tuvalu, Solomon Islands, Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), and key academic partners from the University of the South Pacific (USP), University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG), and the National University of Samoa (NUS).
SPC’s Project Manager, Ms. Christine Deo-Reddy, facilitated the sessions with strong participation from national energy offices and academia. Each meeting served as a milestone in reviewing project progress, showcasing scholarship research, and aligning next steps as countries prepare for the second phase of the PAWES initiative.
Waste-to-Energy Research: Innovation in Action
Student-led research remains the cornerstone of the PAWES Project. Across the first three quarters of 2025, scholars presented diverse and impactful projects that respond directly to the waste and energy challenges in their home countries.
- Tuvalu: USP student Ms. Miriama Taukiei is pioneering a plastic-to-energy pyrolysis model, designed to convert single-use plastic waste into fuel. With new government policy changes reintroducing smaller plastic bottles, her project presents an immediate and sustainable response to the rising volumes of plastic waste.
- Solomon Islands: Ms. Natalie Kausimae is developing an anaerobic digestion system for boarding schools, turning organic waste into clean cooking gas. The innovation promises to reduce the reliance on firewood and alleviate the heavy burden on students who collect it daily.
- Papua New Guinea: Mr. Freddy Lakera from UPNG is building a biogas electricity generation system using organic fraction of Municipal Solid Waste (OFMSW) in Port Moresby. The prototype aims to tackle Port Moresby’s growing urban waste problem while demonstrating a model adaptable to other Pacific cities.
- Samoa: NUS students Ms. Pine Lele, Ms. Lusia Tamati, Mr. Technic Tariu, and Mr. Asterios Save are implementing an on-campus biodigester project that integrates waste management with renewable energy production, laying the groundwork for broader community adoption.
- Vanuatu: Mr. Melas Nos continues work on biogas generation from kava residue and cow dung, with pilot digesters planned for rural households.
- Fiji: Ms. Nikita Shriwastow is refining biodiesel synthesis from waste cooking oil, advancing Fiji’s ambitions for cleaner, locally produced fuels.
Mentoring and monitoring remain consistent, with quarterly check-ins and active supervision ensuring that student progress aligns with both academic and technical standards. Many of these projects are now entering their field implementation stages, underscoring the practical value of the PAWES scholarship program.
Building the Foundation for Policy and Institutional Change
A key highlight of 2025 has been the steady advancement of national WtE policies and roadmaps, led initially by Papua New Guinea. With technical support from SPC and consultancy leadership by Alinea International, PNG’s forthcoming Waste-to-Energy Policy aims to translate research into actionable national strategies.
Other countries, Samoa, Tuvalu, Solomon Islands, and RMI, are also poised to develop similar frameworks as donor partnerships solidify. SPC’s engagement with partners, including DCCEEW and MFAT, is shaping a more targeted approach to resource mobilisation, prioritising country-specific WtE initiatives that can scale efficiently and deliver measurable environmental and economic impact.
Strengthening Knowledge Through Education
The PAWES Project has continued to strengthen the region’s capacity for sustainable energy education. The development and accreditation of Sustainable Energy Qualifications, Certificate 4 and Diploma Level 6, are in the final stages of approval. These qualifications are designed to embed Waste-to-Energy content into regional curricula, ensuring that the next generation of Pacific technicians and energy professionals are equipped with the technical skills and knowledge to implement WtE solutions locally.
Reporting, Publications, and Regional Learning
Throughout 2025, SPC has made significant strides in documentation and dissemination. The WtE Baseline Assessment Report and the Feasibility Assessments for Samoa, PNG, Tuvalu, and Solomon Islands are now being published, alongside annual and data collection reports. These publications capture critical evidence, lessons learned, and best practices from across the region.
The PAWES Project also continues to engage through webinars, expos, and regional platforms such as the SPREP’s C.I.R.C.L.E Expo, where WtE was featured during the inaugural Pacific Women in Circular Economy Forum.
Looking Ahead
As the PAWES Project approaches the conclusion of its current phase, collaboration remains central to its success. The 2025 Project Steering Committee Meeting, scheduled for November in Nadi, Fiji, will bring together national leaders to review progress, share experiences, and set direction for the next chapter of the initiative.
The final PAWES Multipliers’ Meeting for 2025 will be held in mid-December, marking the close of an eventful year of achievements and regional collaboration. The session will provide an opportunity to consolidate lessons learned, track ongoing scholarship progress, and reaffirm commitments ahead of 2026 implementation milestones.
Reflecting on the year’s progress, SPC’s Energy Security Team Leader Ms. Perelini Masoe expressed gratitude for the collective commitment of all partners and participants. “The PAWES Project Multipliers’ platform is a living example of Pacific collaboration in action. It connects science, policy, and people, transforming research into real-world solutions for a cleaner, more resilient future.”
“The Pacific Adoption of Waste-to-Energy Solutions (PAWES) project is co-funded by the Pacific Community (SPC) and the ACP Innovation Fund, under the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) Research and Innovation Programme. This programme is implemented by the OACPS with financial support from the European Union. The project is led by SPC in partnership with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).”
For more information on the PAWES Project and to access publications and scholarship updates, visit SPC’s PAWES Project Page.
