Vanuatu Renewable Energy and Power Association (VANREPA) is an NGO based in Port Vila, Vanuatu. VANREPA's primary objective is to promote and deliver renewable energy solutions to development needs. VANREPA's strengths are in the organization's collective knowledge of and practical experience working with renewable energy technologies in the context of developing Vanuatu.
VANREPA's understanding and respect for Vanuatu's culture and development goals have facilitated the successful delivery of numerous renewable energy projects. VANREPA is committed to working with communities to deliver appropriate technologies that are supported by a community driven management, operation and maintenance plan. As part of our project delivery process, VANREPA investigates income generation strategies to facilitate reinvestment in project technologies and project sustainability.
VANREPA has successfully delivered projects that incorporate wind power, solar power, solar desalination and microhydro technologies. VANREPA works in three main program areas, Energy and Water, Energy in Schools, and Green Power to the People.
VANREPA was founded in 2002 by David Stein. David has
been working with communities throughout Vanuatu to deliver
'appropriate technologies' with the purpose of improving health and
education since his arrival in Vanuatu as a Peace Corps Volunteer in
1997.
David has an environmental engineering background and research and education experience in the area of 'Renewable Energy for the Developing World'.
Living in Vanuatu for the past nine years has provided David with the opportunity to develop a broad knowledge of local 'kastom', history, family and community structures, geography, environment and language. This understanding, combined with years of practical experience in implementation and post-implementation support of renewable energy technologies has lead to David being a well respected technologist in Vanuatu.