Fiji Gas’ recently launched Hydrogen Dual-Fuel Generator has garnered bipartisan support, with both sides of the August house praising it as a key step toward Fiji’s cleaner energy and reduced reliance on imported fossil fuels journey.
In a ministerial statement this week, Fiji’s Deputy Prime Minister, Manoa Kamikamica, described the project, which was unveiled at the gas company’s Lautoka Depot on November 26 as “groundbreaking…and a game changer” for Fiji. The pilot project is a collaborative effort with Japan’s Obayashi Corporation and New Zealand’s Halcyon Power.
Kamikamica outlined the generator’s capability to use hydrogen—produced through renewable geothermal energy—as a cleaner alternative to diesel. Unlike traditional fuels that emit harmful greenhouse gases, hydrogen combustion produces only water.
“It can replace fossil fuels in many areas from powering generators to fuelling vehicles and vessels,” Kamikamica said. “This generator at the Lautoka depot is trial run, helping us learn what works and what needs to improve before we adopt this technology on a larger scale. More importantly, it will help us
understand the infrastructure and policies we need to support hydrogen use, making it easier for us
to adopt this clean energy technology on a larger scale.”
The hydrogen used in the project is sourced from New Zealand, where Halcyon Power utilises geothermal energy to produce green hydrogen. This partnership stems from Fiji’s 2023 New Zealand Trade Mission, under the Duavata Partnership. The initiative also benefits from Japan’s Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM), which provides funding and technical expertise to support decarbonisation efforts globally.
Opposition MP Faiyaz Koya hailed the project as a “major step” for sustainable energy solutions in Fiji, highlighting the significance of a green supply chain from production in New Zealand to deployment in Fiji.
“We must all do what we can with respect to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. We can see from around the world, in the news, every day, what is actually happening to all our different countries, with all the different floods etc. With us approaching our hurricane season, we should always learn to expect the worst and do the most that we can to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
Meanwhile, the G-9 Bloc’s Aseri Tuinaceva underscored its alignment with global climate goals discussed at COP29, highlighting the importance of partnerships in advancing such projects.
“We, the Group of 9, would like to see more of this clean energy project and it appears from what has been said by the Deputy Prime Minister, that the partnership appears to be the way forward for Fiji.”
