Vanuatu Energy Resilience Project Moves from Drawing Board to the Shoreline

March 16, 2026

The technical team behind the Vanuatu Energy Resilience Project (VERP) has officially moved from the drawing board to the shoreline. In a mid-February field mission, experts from the Department of Energy (DoE) and UNDP began hands-on assessments to protect critical solar infrastructure using "Nature-based Solutions" (NbS).

Launched in July 2025, the CDRI-funded project is not just building energy systems; it is redesigning how they survive in one of the world’s most disaster-prone nations.

Assessing the Frontlines

In Fenruary, the assessment team—including Mr. Julius Mala (DoE) and VERP technical Team: Mr. Muhan Maskey and Mr. Joel Galeb—visited three key sites across Efate, Nguna, and Pele Islands:

Port Vila Fish Market Mini Grid (Efate Island)
Utanlang Village Micro Grid (Nguna Island)
Tangovawia School Micro Grid (Pele Island)

The mission’s goal was to identify site-specific vulnerabilities—such as salt spray, erosion, and flooding—that threaten the longevity of these renewable energy hubs.

The team conducted a multi-layered physical and technical inspection, mapping out soil stability and drainage patterns to determine where nature can do the work of a sea wall or a windbreak. By identifying areas for coastal buffers, windbreaks, and bioswales, the project aims to use local vegetation to shield sensitive solar panels and structures from extreme weather.

Site visits across Efate, Nguna, and Pele Islands.

UNDP

The team's work on the ground included:

Technical Inspections: Examining solar PV systems, structures, and fencing to understand exposure to strong winds and coastal impacts.
Environmental Mapping: Documenting existing vegetation cover and identifying natural water flow improvements.
Community Engagement: Meeting with local stakeholders to collect insights on local hazard history and traditional ecological knowledge.
Prioritization Analysis: Reviewing logistical considerations, land tenure clarity, and technical compatibility to rank sites for the NbS demonstration pilot.

A critical outcome of these field assessments is the injection of targeted funds to strengthen the resilience of these energy assets. Based on the structured multicriteria assessment and scoring conducted during the mission, the project will prioritize and fund specific NbS interventions—such as windbreaks and erosion control planting—to provide a physical layer of protection for the solar mini/micro grids.

These investments are designed to ensure that community-managed infrastructure remains protected long after the project ends by institutionalizing these risk-informed designs within the Department of Energy’s standard workflows.