1. What role does Sunzil Polynésie play in the energy transition of French Polynesia?
Sunzil Polynésie was a pioneer of solar energy in Polynesia. We began in the early 1980s by installing solar systems on isolated islands, and we have continued to develop the sector ever since. Today, Sunzil can deliver every type of solar installation, from small solar home systems to large-scale solar farms. We are actively contributing to the deployment of solar solutions adapted to the realities of island territories and to the overall development of the solar industry across Polynesia.
2. How does solar energy strengthen the territory’s energy autonomy and reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels?
Solar energy is perfectly suited to Polynesia and the Pacific Islands. Within the next 10 to 20 years, I believe it will become the principal source of energy in the region. It has the potential to drastically reduce or even eliminate dependence on imported fossil fuels.
Today, solar deployment is already significant, although it could advance much faster with a more supportive regulatory framework and a clearer political vision. The rapid decrease in battery prices, combined with the development of electric vehicles, will make solar energy increasingly profitable and allow it to become the dominant energy source throughout the Pacific Islands.
3. How do your solutions contribute to electrification and energy inclusion in the most isolated archipelagos?
Solar energy is clearly the most suitable solution for isolated islands and remote archipelagos because solar resources are abundant there, while transporting hydrocarbons is expensive and logistically complicated.
Several islands are already equipping themselves with photovoltaic power plants combined with battery energy storage systems and lithium batteries. These technologies are technically mature and adapted to local conditions. For them to become widespread, however, battery prices currently around $100 per kilowatt-hour will need to decrease further, which is expected to happen in the short to medium term thanks to the global growth of the electric vehicle industry.
4. What are the main technical and logistical challenges in deploying and maintaining solar infrastructure across such a fragmented territory?
In reality, solar systems are easier to maintain and operate than traditional diesel-powered generators. Solar installations are automated and can be remotely monitored through the internet, whereas diesel plants require complex maintenance and spare parts that are difficult to obtain on remote islands.
One of the lessons from earlier solar programs financed by organizations such as the European Development Fund or the United Nations is that equipment alone is not enough. Many systems eventually failed because no long-term maintenance support had been planned. Future deployment strategies must therefore integrate operations and maintenance from the beginning. Another effective approach would be for municipalities to delegate management of local electricity concessions to private operators capable of ensuring both production and distribution.
.jpg)
5. What hybrid solar and storage technologies are you developing to guarantee reliable energy continuity?
The best solution for Polynesia is to combine every available form of solar energy deployment in order to benefit the largest number of people.
For many years, Polynesia prioritized rooftop self-consumption systems because batteries were too expensive and the electrical grid had limited capacity to absorb solar production without storage. That strategy allowed progressive solar adoption among households and businesses while helping to reduce electricity costs.
Today, with battery prices continuing to fall, solar energy can take a much more significant role in electricity generation. Several complementary solutions should now be encouraged:
These technologies are already operational and technically reliable today.
6. What economic impact do these solutions have for communities and businesses over the long term?
Over the next 10 to 20 years, the cost of fossil fuels will probably double, while the cost of solar electricity will likely be divided by two, largely because of declining battery prices. The economic equation is therefore very clear for communities and businesses.
But for this transition to happen, governments must encourage the population to move toward solar energy. Unfortunately, local policies are not always moving in that direction, and some discussions about restricting solar self-consumption create uncertainty for investors and consumers alike.
At the same time, Pacific islands are among the first territories threatened by rising sea levels. We cannot present ourselves as victims of climate change if we are unwilling to adopt more sustainable consumption patterns ourselves.
7. How does your work contribute to the fight against climate change and environmental preservation?
Solar energy is clearly part of the solution to climate change. In the past, critics argued that manufacturing solar panels consumed too much energy, but that is no longer true. Solar panel production has become so efficient that a panel now offsets the energy required for its own manufacturing within roughly one year of operation.
With the combination of solar energy and electric mobility, Polynesia could eventually achieve near-total energy autonomy with almost zero dependence on fossil fuels. This is no longer a utopian vision but a realistic and achievable objective.
8. What role do public-private partnerships play in accelerating the energy transition?
Public-private partnerships can significantly accelerate progress because public administration is often slow and municipalities may lack technical expertise, especially on remote islands.
The private sector can help accelerate the energy transition, but only if governments first establish the legal and regulatory frameworks necessary to support these partnerships. Mechanisms such as private concessions and power purchase agreements could dramatically speed up implementation.
9. How do you see the renewable energy market evolving across the Pacific in the coming decades?
I am very optimistic about the future of solar energy in the Pacific. It is the most suitable energy source for island territories because we have abundant sunshine but limited hydroelectric resources and no oil reserves.
Within 10 to 20 years, solar energy will likely become the dominant energy source across the Pacific, creating significant economic opportunities. China understood earlier than others that climate challenges also represent industrial and economic opportunities, which is why it invested massively in solar panels and batteries.
The United States and Europe, meanwhile, remain too attached to preserving old economic balances. In the long term, that approach will prove costly both economically and environmentally.
10. What message would you like to send to readers of the Los Angeles Times about the potential of French Polynesia as a model for sustainable energy transition in the Pacific?
Solar energy is becoming one of the cheapest and easiest forms of energy to deploy anywhere in the world. It is environmentally friendly and naturally suited to Pacific islands.
But it is also urgent that solar energy be implemented more broadly wherever it makes sense, including in many sunny regions of the United States. Clinging to fossil fuels and outdated economic models is becoming increasingly counterproductive, both economically and environmentally. Countries that invest industrially in solar technologies today will shape the future economy.
11. Is there anything else you would like to add?
One of my concerns is that political discourse in Polynesia is sometimes contradictory. Solar energy is officially presented as a priority, yet some government measures and arguments continue to slow down its deployment.
Too often, policymakers focus on short-term concerns, for example fearing that increased solar adoption could reduce revenues for the electricity grid. In my opinion, this is a mistaken vision. If we fail to accelerate the transition today, we risk remaining dependent on expensive fossil fuels in ten years, with much higher energy costs for consumers.
On the other hand, if we fully embrace solar energy and electric mobility, we could drastically reduce fuel imports and lower long-term energy costs for society as a whole. The technology already exists. What is missing is a stronger long-term vision.
.png)
