The

Cook Islands ) , image_map = Cook Islands on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , capital = Avarua , coordinates = , largest_city = Avarua , official_languages = , lan ...

is a net importer of energy, in the form of

petroleum Petroleum, also known as crude oil, or simply oil, is a naturally occurring yellowish-black liquid mixture of mainly hydrocarbons, and is found in geological formations. The name ''petroleum'' covers both naturally occurring unprocessed crud ...

products. Total energy consumption was 1,677,278,000 BTU (1.77 TJ) in 2017, of which 811,000,000 (0.86 TJ) was in the form of oil. In 2012 47% of imported oil was used in the transport sector, 30% in aviation, and 27% for electricity generation. Electricity consumption is 31.6 GWh, from 14 MW of installed generation capacity, with most load concentrated on the main island of

Rarotonga Rarotonga is the largest and most populous of the Cook Islands. The island is volcanic, with an area of , and is home to almost 75% of the country's population, with 13,007 of a total population of 17,434. The Cook Islands' Parliament buildings a ...

. Per-capita electricity consumption is approximately two-thirds that in the European Union.

Greenhouse gas emissions Greenhouse gas emissions from human activities strengthen the greenhouse effect, contributing to climate change. Most is carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels: coal, oil, and natural gas. The largest emitters include coal in China and lar ...

total 88,810 t per year, or 10.36 t per capita. Electricity in the Cook Islands was historically produced by diesel generators on each island. Fuel was imported from

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...

and required long sea voyages to get to the northern atolls, resulting in high costs and occasional supply disruptions. The major islands of Rarotonga and

Manihiki 250px, Map of Manihiki Atoll Manihiki is an atoll in the northern group of the Cook Islands known informally as the "Island of Pearls". It is located in the Northern Cook Island chain, approximately north of the capital island of Rarotonga, ma ...

had 24-hour electricity, but the smaller islands would often turn their power off overnight. Since 2011 the Cook Islands has embarked on a programme of

renewable energy Renewable energy is energy that is collected from renewable resources that are naturally replenished on a human timescale. It includes sources such as sunlight, wind, the movement of water, and geothermal heat. Although most renewable energy ...

development to improve its energy security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with a goal of reaching 100% renewable electricity by 2020. 85% of the country's fuel and all of its jet fuel is imported by Pacific Energy.

Governmental jurisdiction

The ''Energy Act 1998'' established an Energy Division within the Ministry of Works, Energy and Physical Planning (now Infrastructure Cook Islands) responsible for energy policy and electricity inspections. Electricity on Rarotonga is provided by Te Aponga Uira (TAU), a government-owned power authority established by legislation. The environmental impact of energy projects is managed by the National Environmental Service under the ''Environment Act 2003''. Renewable energy is coordinated by a Renewable Energy Development Division in the Office of the Prime Minister.

References

{{Cook Islands topics

Governmental jurisdiction

See also

References