SAMGRIST - Samoa Grid Stabilisation 

Partners: Dpsun Limited (Lead), Global Green Growth Institute

Country: Samoa 

Technology: Next generation solar technologies and business models

Stage: Early

Stage: 9

Close to 60 percent of the Samoa’s electricity supply is now being produced by renewable sources. However, the amount of energy from solar panels is currently being restricted on the main grid on Upolu due to grid stabilization issues. 

There is an opportunity for an innovative business model where the utility engages a private entity to install and operate the batteries. This model would be the first of a kind in the Pacific and would harness private sector expertise, decrease investment for the Government owned utility, promote competition in the market for DER, and be the first step in moving towards a dynamic electricity system that is capable of supporting two-way power flow.

In this project, a private entity would be competitively procured by the national utility in Samoa, to finance, install, operate and maintain the distributed batteries across the network. The private entity will charge and discharge the batteries based on the provisions set out in the contract which will be designed to stabilise and optimise the grid. The utility company will pay the private entity overtime with revenue collected from customers.