For Samoa, renewables are the right bet — if they are built to survive a cyclone — Samoa Observer
I have an op-ed in the Samoa Observer, Samoa’s main independent daily newspaper. Founded in 1978 and based in Apia, it is one of the Pacific’s reference titles, known for its editorial independence and its commitment to press freedom in the region. It publishes in English and Samoan.
The topic: renewables engineered to survive cyclones
The economic case is straightforward: for Samoa, betting on renewable energy cuts dependence on fuel imports and exposure to price volatility. The harder questions, I argue, are not economic but about engineering and governance.
The debate should not be about whether to go renewable, but about how to build it to last. Cyclone Evan, in 2012, destroyed hydropower stations on the island: any energy infrastructure must therefore be designed from the outset to withstand extreme weather. Cyclone resilience is not an add-on bolted on afterwards — it is the core of the design.
I also stress that success will not be purely technical: it will depend as much on governance, on training local skills and on community consent as on the technology itself. It is that combination — physical robustness and local ownership — that will make the difference for a small island state.