Lit Up on Coconuts

The electricity demands of New Zealand territory Tokelau will soon be met by renewable energy sources. Tokelau’s leader Foua Toloa has announced that by the middle of 2012, 93 per cent of Tokelau’s electricity will be solar powered – the rest will come from coconut oil. The three islands which make up Tokelau are home to around 15,000 people who currently use 600 litres of fossil fuel per day. Kerosene, gasoline and natural gas are currently transported to the islands from New Zealand. A study conducted by Empower Consultants, a company who assists communities in developing sustainable livelihoods, found that each island will need 20 to 30 litres of coconut oil per day – around 200 coconuts.