Papua New Guinea (PNG) which is located in the south-western Pacific Ocean has a total area of approximately 462, 840 km2. The country is by far the largest of the Pacific island countries and territories. The population was 82.5 lakhs in the year 2017. The capital is Port Moresby and the languages spoken include English and other indigenous languages such as Hiri Motu.

PNG has two distinct economies: a modern cash economy dominated by mining, timber, oil and gas and agricultural exports (coffee, cocoa, tea, oil palm and copra); and a traditional subsistence economy and semi-subsistence farming, with most villages producing little or no surplus for trading.

Hydropower accounts for about half of the electricity generated and diesel for a third, with the rest generated from gas and geothermal energy plants, which are principally used in the mines. Private sector mines have installed an additional 250–280 MW of capacity for their operations.

The renewable energy potential in PNG is enormous. Solar energy is among the largest potential sources of renewable energy in PNG. Average insolation in much of the country appears to be good with between 4.5 and 8 hours of sunshine daily. Port Moresby is considered PNG’s sunniest location with 2478 sunshine hours per year.