Climate Analytics: Remote regions, island nations face unique energy challenges

Remote regions and island nations, including Small Island Developing States (SIDS), are confronted with unique energy challenges due to their geographical isolation, limited infrastructure, and vulnerability to climate change, Bill Hare, a physicist, climate scientist, and founder of Climate Analytics, who participating in COP29 in Baku, told Report.

"The reliance of these countries on imported, unsustainable, and expensive fossil fuels, such as diesel, for energy supply not only results in high energy costs but also makes them more vulnerable to the volatility of global energy markets," Hare noted. "With the world's transition to renewable energy sources, these regions have a unique opportunity to shift to cleaner and more sustainable energy systems while moving away from fossil fuels."

Hare emphasized that mini-grids powered by renewable energy are more resilient to the negative impacts of climate change compared to centralized systems running on fossil fuels. However, achieving a reliable and stable energy supply, even at a decentralized level, requires addressing some key issues to manage variable energy sources like solar and wind.

"Technical solutions for ensuring grid stability, such as energy storage, enable higher integration and utilization of variable renewable energy sources," Hare explained. "The rapidly declining capital costs of these technologies make the integration of variable renewables particularly attractive for remote areas. This event aims to explore the latest technological and policy innovations for the implementation of renewable mini-grids in remote regions and small island states."