SEYCHELLES: ELECTRICITY/SNA/3/7/18 SABANews 1
MAHE – SEYCHELLES plans to build solar power plants on the ROMAINVILLE Island, in line with the national vision to have 25 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2030.
National news agency, SNA says the new schemes are in addition to FIVE wind turbines already on the man-made island – off the main island of MAHE.
It quotes Public Utilities Corporation Chief Executive Officer PHILIPPE MORIN as saying the FIRST project will comprise a ONE-megawatt solar.
He says the scheme is a State project implemented through a grant worth THREE-MILLION-400-THOUSAND US dollars from the INDIAN Government.
Mr MORIN says the ONE-megawatt solar farm is only ONE component of the project, because additional smaller units will be installed on public buildings and private homes all over MAHE.
He says State buildings will have THREE units of 100 kilowatts and 10 units of 30 kilowatts from the scheme, while 100 units of THREE kilowatts will be on private premises.
Mr MORIN says the Agency for Social Protection will decide who the beneficiaries will be, since the project is mainly targeting less fortunate families in the INDIAN Ocean island country.
He also says experts from INDIA are already in the country, and the authorities expect materials for the farm and other units to arrive by SEPTEMBER.
The group of 115 islands in the western INDIAN Ocean, which relies heavily on imported fossil fuel for power generation and transport, currently has TWO-POINT-FIVE percent of its national electrical energy from renewable sources.
However, Mr MORIN says the SECOND project on ROMAINVILLE Island is a FIVE-megawatt solar photovoltaic system.
The scheme is through a loan of EIGHT-MILLION-500-THOUSAND US dollars from ABU DHABI and the INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY AGENCY, IRENA.
Meanwhile, stakeholders have met at the International Centre of SEYCHELLES in the capital, VICTORIA, to discuss a national proposal to be submitted to the Green Climate Fund.
The Fund is a facility established within the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change aimed to help developing countries in adaptation and mitigation practices against weather variations.
The Principal Energy Policy Analyst in the Environment, Energy, and Climate Change Ministry says the proposal is in line with the SEYCHELLES 100 percent Renewable Energy Strategy.
THEODORE MARGUERITE also says delegates have met to understand the rationale of the plan and of the strategy, as well as getting clarity on the current national energy system.
SNA says the Green Climate Fund is a facility established within the framework of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to assist developing countries in adaptation and mitigation practices to counter climate change.
Mr MARGUERITE says SEYCHELLES is working on a proposal of 400-MILLION US dollars for submission to the SOUTH KOREA-based Green Climate Fund.
He says the process started in 2016 with help by consultants from the GREEN WERK group, a climate advisory network based in GERMANY.
ONE official, STEFAN WEHNER, says they are helping with the strategy and mobilising international climate finance; because preliminary studies have shown solar energy is the key source of renewable energy for the islands.
He says PV panels can be installed as rooftops are also available, with wind also as another resource, although in the end, a mix of technologies, the most cost-effective, will be considered for SEYCHELLES.
SEYCHELLES Public Utilities Corporation Chief Executive Officer MORIN says the country has to reinforce the electricity network in preparation for the planned targets./Sabanews/cam
