Fiji's economy, with a GDP of around $4.98 billion USD in 2022 [1] , relies heavily on tourism, which also drives a significant portion of the country's energy needs. While Fiji is working to transition to renewable sources, its primary energy consumption still comes from imported fossil fuels, highlighting the need for a balance between economic growth and sustainable energy practices.
There has been a growing focus on renewables, with hydropower being the dominant renewable source (54-55%), but vulnerable to seasonal rainfall variations. Bioenergy contributes a smaller but steady share of 16%. Currently wind and solar holds a small portion of 5 % and remains a minor contributor, but with potential for future growth.
Fig 1: Installed capacity trend in Fiji (IRENA2022)
The Fijian government aims to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and has plans to phase them out entirely by 2030 [2] . Overall, Fiji is transitioning towards a more sustainable energy mix by increasing its use of renewable resources and decreasing its dependence on imported fossil fuels.
Fig 2: Electricity Generation trend in Fiji (IRENA 2022)
[2] Renewable Energy - International Trade Administration
There is no well-established hydrogen policy in Fiji yet. However, there are signs of growing interest and potential for hydrogen development:
While a concrete hydrogen policy isn't available, Fiji's renewable energy goals and pilot projects suggest the country is open to exploring hydrogen's role in its future energy mix.
Hydrogen Profile [3]
EXPORTS
In 2022, Fiji exported $207k in Hydrogen, making it the 101st largest exporter of Hydrogen in the world. At the same year, Hydrogen was the 201st most exported product in Fiji. The main destination of Hydrogen exports from Fiji are Samoa ($129k), Tonga ($31k), Kiribati ($20.3k), Singapore ($10.4k), and United States ($6.28k).
The fastest growing export markets for Hydrogen of Fiji between 2021 and 2022 were Samoa ($90k), Singapore ($10.4k), and Kiribati ($3.52k).
IMPORTS
In 2022, Fiji imported $730k in Hydrogen, becoming the 131st largest importer of Hydrogen in the world. At the same year, Hydrogen was the 412th most imported product in Fiji. Fiji imports Hydrogen primarily from: New Zealand ($527k), Australia ($134k), United States ($32.9k), France ($21.8k), and China ($14.5k).
The fastest growing import markets in Hydrogen for Fiji between 2021 and 2022 were Australia ($42.5k), France ($19.5k), and New Zealand ($16.3k).
While a dedicated regulatory framework is not in place yet, these developments suggest that Fiji might be laying the groundwork for future hydrogen regulations.
Here's what we might see in a potential future framework:
Fiji's infrastructure for a green hydrogen revolution is still in its early stages. However, there are signs of potential and ongoing developments that could pave the way for future adoption: