Home-grown talent helps bring solar power to remote communities
“Reliable solar power makes a real difference in rural communities, and I’m proud to be part of that journey.”
Mikal Silas, a graduate trainee at Australia’s Economic and Social Infrastructure Program (ESIP), is working at the cutting edge of solar technology.
In March, she joined a technical team from Pawarim Komuniti Partnerships (PKP)—an ESIP off-grid solar energy program—on a four-day trip to Australia to carry out Factory Acceptance Testing on 20 standalone solar systems bound for Papua New Guinea (PNG).
For PKP, Factory Acceptance Testing is a critical step in the procurement process. It enables the technical team to check the solar systems for faults before they leave the factory gates. This means PKP can be certain the systems are ready for deployment as soon as they arrive in PNG.
“Taking part in testing the solar systems showed me how important quality assurance is and how engineering decisions made in a far-off factory can affect communities thousands of miles away,” said Mikal.
Mikal has been working with PKP since she joined ESIP’s Graduate Development Program in October 2025. The program builds skills by giving graduates hands-on experience at infrastructure projects across PNG.
“Even though I’m only six months into the program, it has already had a big impact on me. We’re encouraged to ask questions, and the professional, supportive environment means we’re not afraid to make mistakes. I’m learning quickly, and I’m much more confident,” said Mikal.
The Pawarim Komuniti Partnerships program is working with the Government and local partners to bring solar energy to some of the country’s remotest communities. Since 2021, the program has brought clean, reliable electricity to more than 291,000 people in 7 provinces.
“Being part of Pawarim Komuniti Partnerships has shown me how access to electricity improves people’s lives. Reliable solar power makes a real difference in rural communities, and I’m proud to be part of that journey,” said Mikal.
On 16 May, PKP kicked off the Sola4Skuls solar energy project, one of eight PKP Round 2 projects scheduled for completion by the end of 2026. As the standalone solar systems wind their way across PNG to their designated projects, thanks to Mikal and the PKP team, they’ll be up and running as soon as they get there.