Techno-economic analysis of a proposed 10 MW geothermal power plant in Fiji

Climate change related issues affect energy infrastructure of island nations on a regular basis. Fiji, a miniscule emitter, has set a net-zero national target by 2050 and geothermal power plant (GPP) is a possible renewable energy technology to meet this target. However, there are no feasibility studies for GPP in Fiji. The main objective of this paper is to conduct a techno-economic-environmental feasibility study of a proposed 10 MW organic Rankine cycle (ORC) GPP using the RETScreen tool. The modelling results show that 78.9 GWh of electricity can be produced that can reduce 39,461 tCO2-eq emissions for Fiji's energy sector. Three scenarios were modelled to study the effect of different incentives (electricity export rate, clean energy production incentive rate, emission trading rate, and renewable energy capacity development incentive) on the project's financials. The current study is the first country-specific study done in ORC GPP in Fiji and the results can inform and help potential investors, donors and government agencies make judicious decisions on geothermal power development. The study recommends that apart from financial factors, other factors, such as capacity building of key stakeholders and a conducive regulatory environment, are essential to promote GPP. © 2022 Elsevier Ltd