International Solar Alliance Deepens Solar Energy Partnership with Papua New Guinea, Announces STAR-C at Don Bosco Technological Institute
The International Solar Alliance (ISA), led by its Director General, Mr Ashish Khanna, concluded a high-level and technical mission to Papua New Guinea (PNG) from 4 to 7 August 2026, deepening ISA's engagement with the Government of PNG on solar energy deployment, investment mobilisation, and capacity building. Over three days in Port Moresby, the delegation met ministers, utilities, industrial energy users, academic institutions, and development finance partners to translate the commitments made under the Country Partnership Framework (CPF) into implementable projects and partnerships.
The mission formed part of ISA's wider effort to support Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in accelerating their clean energy transitions. ISA and PNG signed the CPF at the Eighth Session of the ISA Assembly in 2025 and have since strengthened engagement through bilateral discussions, including exchanges held during the SIDS Ministerial Dialogue in Bali in June 2026, where both sides identified priority areas for cooperation spanning solar energy deployment, capacity building, investment mobilisation, and institutional strengthening.
During the visit, ISA announced a Solar Technology Application Resource Centre (STAR-C) at the Don Bosco Technological Institute (DBTI) in Port Moresby, aimed at building the local technical capacity that PNG will need to install, operate, and maintain solar systems at scale. The announcement was accompanied by an interaction at the institute, where the delegation engaged with faculty and students on the skills, curricula, and certification pathways that the centre will support. The STAR-C builds on capacity-building work already underway, with ISA having trained participants from Papua New Guinea through a dedicated programme, laying the groundwork for a larger, sustained skilling effort in the years ahead.
The delegation engaged in a series of high-level meetings during the mission, including with Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister, Minister of Energy, the Finance Minister, and senior representatives from the country's energy and resource industries. These conversations examined opportunities to expand solar deployment across Papua New Guinea's islands, to strengthen the regulatory frameworks needed for scaling rooftop solar, and to advance solar and storage solutions for energy-intensive sectors such as mining. The delegation also met representatives of the World Bank Group and the Asian Development Bank to discuss financing pathways for a pipeline of bankable solar projects.
On advancing areas of cooperation between ISA and the Government of PNG, Hon’ble Prime Minister, Mr James Marape, said, “Energy security sits at the centre of Papua New Guinea's development ambitions, and our partnership with the International Solar Alliance gives us a practical route towards it. The Country Partnership Framework has moved from agreement to action, with project assessments underway and a training centre now announced in Port Moresby. My government will continue to work with ISA, our utilities, our industries, and our financing partners to turn this pipeline into power for our people.”
Highlighting PNG's commitment to expanding solar energy, Hon. Peter Namea Isoaimo, Minister of Energy, PNG, said, “Papua New Guinea's people live across hundreds of islands and highland communities, and too many of them still wait for reliable power. Solar allows us to reach them faster and at lower cost than any other option, and it shields our households and industries from the price of imported fuel. Working with the International Solar Alliance, we are putting in place the regulation, the projects, and now the skills base that will carry this transition forward.”
Reflecting on the outcomes of the mission, Mr Ashish Khanna, Director General, International Solar Alliance, said, “Papua New Guinea demonstrates the transformative potential of solar energy in addressing the unique challenges of island nations and remote communities as exemplified by ISA’s SIDS program for bringing together island countries for shared knowledge and project pipeline. From expanding solar rooftops for consumers, solar mini grids for communities and developing solar projects to attract private investments, all captured through a national solar energy roadmap and a well-functioning STAR -C at Don Bosco Institute, ISA is committed to developing an ecosystem for affordable and reliable power essential for growth and expanding energy access in PNG. We leave Port Moresby with a shared vision, clear priorities, and a strong foundation to translate ambition into action.”
The delegation visited a solar power plant with a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at the Napa Napa refinery, where solar-plus-storage technology is already serving an industrial load. The visit underlined the commercial case for solar in a country where grid supply remains concentrated in urban centres and where remote islands and industrial users continue to depend on costly imported diesel and other fossil fuels. For PNG, solar offers a practical pathway to diversify the energy mix, strengthen energy security, and reduce exposure to volatile fuel import costs. Since the Country Partnership Framework (CPF) was signed, ISA's engagement has already produced tangible progress, including assessing the feasibility of two 50 MW solar projects under the CPF, while continuing to support the country in developing the regulatory framework needed to scale up solar technologies.
ISA and the Government of PNG expect the mission to strengthen the institutional and political partnership between them, produce an agreed pipeline of priority projects and technical assistance under the CPF, and deepen engagement with utilities and academic institutions, reinforcing PNG's transition towards a more diversified and resilient energy future. The PNG mission forms part of a wider ISA mission across the Pacific that also covers Fiji, Vanuatu, and Kiribati.
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