Lavena Primary School

Lavena Primary School is in Lavena Village on Taveuni. In 2013, before solar, a generator ran for four hours each night to power the teachers' homes and the school for night study. The 3 kW system we installed that year was soon saving more than FJ$3,500 a year in fuel. That freed up money for laptops and other learning resources, changing the students' prospects.

In 2016 Tropical Cyclone Winston hit the school hard. The roof was blown off and the panels destroyed, though the inverters and batteries survived. A stronger building followed, and in 2017 we fitted new panels to restore the system.

After nearly 10 years, the original batteries reached the end of their life, and in July 2023 we replaced them with new SimpliPhi lithium batteries. We are glad to report that a system three times the size is planned for 2027, setting the school up for decades more of renewable power.

The project's main funders were the Rotary Club of Templestowe, the Rotary Club of Manningham, Deakin University's Global Citizenship Program and Art Building Children's Dreams (Australia), with support from our equipment sponsors.