A look back at the regional workshop on energy transition in Wallis and Futuna

The Green Overseas Program organized a regional workshop dedicated to the energy transition in Pacific island territories from October 20 to 24 in Wallis and Futuna. The workshop brought together technical representatives, operators, engineers, public officials and experts from French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Fiji, Curacao and Wallis and Futuna, for four days of exchanges, concrete case analyses and field visits.
A common goal: progress towards autonomous and resilient energy systems

The discussions highlighted the challenges faced by island systems: isolated grids, dependence on imported diesel, climate vulnerability, access to land and social acceptability.
But they also showed that the energy transition is already underway, driven by:
- the development of solar combined with storage,
- the wind turbine adapted to cyclonic environments,
- insular hydraulics, including systems coupled to pumped-storage energy transfer stations (STEPs),
- the agrivoltaics reconciling food, landscape management and energy production,
- as well as the valuation of local know-how and organizations in project governance.
Anchoring projects in local realities

A major point of convergence between the territories was the need for an energy transition built with and for local people.
This includes:
- the consultation of customary and community authorities,
- the equitable distribution of local benefits (employment, maintenance, land rents),
- the increased skills of local technicians and institutions,
- and the adaptation of technical solutions to geographical and climatic constraints.
Sharing experiences to move forward together

Throughout the workshop, collaborative working sessions compared the strategies and approaches of different territories. The mutualization of feedback was identified as one of the most powerful levers for accelerating the energy transition in the Pacific Islands.
In closing, Ahab Downer, Director of the Green Overseas Program, and Frédérick Baudry, elected member of the Territorial Assembly of Wallis and Futuna, recalled:

"This workshop was not just a technical interlude, but a genuine space for sharing.
Each territory is different, but the challenges are common.
What we started here continues now."
The sequel

The exchanges will feed into ongoing work on energy planning in several participating territories.
A series of interviews and summary videos will be published shortly to extend knowledge sharing beyond the workshop.

The Green Overseas Program warmly thanks all participants, speakers and local partners for the quality of the exchanges and the collective commitment demonstrated throughout the workshop.

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