Seychelles inaugurated on Monday a UAE-funded 5MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant with battery storage. This is the second clean energy project in the African island nation.
Developed by Masdar and Seychelles’ Public Utilities Corporation (PUC), the Ile de Romainville Solar Park was financed by Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD).
The facilities include the 5MW solar PV plant located in Ile de Romainville, a 3.3 MWh energy storage system located on Mahé, and a 33kV system that allows for the safe and stable supply of electricity from the PV power plant to the main island of Mahé.
It is estimated that the project will save approximately 2 million liters of fuel annually and offset 6,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
Mohamed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director General, ADFD, said the company was proud to be able to deliver its commitment to drive energy transition in Seychelles.
“By saving about 2,000,000 liters of fossil fuel annually, Ile de Romainville solar PV plant will enable the country to significantly reduce its carbon footprint, provide a wide range of benefits to its people and empower small businesses. Moreover, the project will also make energy more affordable and accessible to the population,” he said.
Mohammed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO, Masdar, said with the inauguration of the Ile de Romainville Solar Park, Seychelles can further reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and displace around 6,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.
The solar park was constructed on the same island hosting several wind turbines from ADFD and Masdar’s first project in Seychelles, the Port Victoria Wind Farm, which has been operational since 2013.
The park’s PV array was specifically designed to maximise the use of available land, while allowing for the maintenance of the wind turbines and minimizing any shading losses resulting from them.
The park is part of the ADFD and International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) project facility.
ADFD has committed $350 million in concessionary loans over seven funding cycles to support the establishment of renewable energy projects in developing countries.
Seychelles heavily relies on fossil fuels to meet its electricity demand, with fossil fuels accounting for around 20 percent of the country’s imports.
The country has set a target of 5 percent renewables by 2020 and 15 percent by 2030.
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