[Source: Supplied]

A significant number of Fijians have expressed willingness to invest in solar systems, as the government strives to achieve 100 percent use of renewable energy by 2036.

This was revealed in a survey to understand the demand for solar energy among people and businesses, jointly conducted by Solar HUB Fiji and the Australian Government’s Market Development Facility.

Assistant Director for Energy, Deepak Chand says the investment on solar energy is not an easy feat nor is it cheap, considering the cost of living among Fijians.

Chand says it is important to create solutions for finance to enable people at all levels of society to have access to solar energy available in the market.

Earlier this year, the Minister for Public Works, Transport and Meteorological Services, Ro Filipe Tuisawau stated that an additional $4 billion is required to achieve its target for renewable energy between 2024 and 2036.

As of today, Fiji has achieved 60 percent of its target for Sustainable Development Goal 7 which aims to ensure access to affordable, reliable and sustainable energy for every Fijian.