Seychelles and alternative energy resources
The Republic of Seychelles primarily relies on fossil fuels to meet its energy needs, with the government-owned Public Utilities Corporation (PUC) managing electricity generation through diesel-powered stations. Due to the high costs associated with oil imports and growing environmental concerns, the Seychellois government is actively seeking alternative energy resources, particularly solar and wind power. There is a collaborative effort with the United Arab Emirates to enhance renewable energy capacity, as Seychelles aims to reduce its dependence on nonrenewable resources. The Seychelles Energy Commission (SEC) plays a crucial role in improving energy efficiency and promoting sustainability through public conservation programs, including partnerships with organizations like Sustainability for Seychelles. Despite ongoing exploration for local oil reserves, the nation remains vulnerable to fluctuations in oil prices and the adverse environmental impacts of fossil fuel use. As energy demands continue to rise, especially from the tourism and fishing sectors, the shift towards renewable energy is seen as essential for the island nation's sustainable future. Initiatives like wind power projects, currently being explored by the Abu Dhabi-based company Masdar, mark significant steps toward diversifying Seychelles' energy portfolio.
Subject Terms
Seychelles and alternative energy resources
Official Name: Republic of Seychelles.
Summary: Seychelles is still reliant on fossil fuels to meet its energy needs but is actively pursuing the adoption of alternative energy resources to lessen its dependence on expensive oil imports.
The Republic of Seychelles meets most of its energy needs through the use of fossil fuels. The government-owned Public Utilities Corporation is responsible for the country’s electrical generation and distribution services through its diesel-powered generating stations and integrated distribution networks. Because of the country’s heavy reliance on costly oil imports as well as increasing environmental concerns, the government is actively pursuing renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, in cooperation with the United Arab Emirates. The government also supports public conservation efforts and groups such as Sustainability for Seychelles.
The nation’s energy demands have been steadily rising since the mid-twentieth century. The importance of the tourism and fishing industries to the country’s economy places additional demands on energy resources. Most of Seychelles’s energy needs is still supplied through traditional nonrenewable fossil fuels. Seychelles lacks internal oil, natural gas, or coal production, although exploration begun in the 1960s has revealed the possibility of oil reserves. The Seychelles National Oil Company (SNOC) was formed in 1984 to continue exploration in this area. Consequently, the islands are highly dependent on expensive oil imports and vulnerable to oil cost shocks or shortages. The islands are also suffering from the negative environmental impacts associated with the use of fossil fuels, such as air and water pollution and the potential for climate change and rising sea levels.
Public Utilities
Electricity, water, and sewage services for Seychelles are united through the government-owned Public Utilities Corporation (PUC). The PUC derives its authority from the Public Utilities Corporation Act of 1985 and was formed through the merger of the Seychelles Water Authority and the Seychelles Electricity Corporation. The PUC’s Electricity Division encompasses the Generation Section, responsible for producing electricity, and the Transmission and Distribution Section, responsible for the transmission and distribution of electricity as well as an inspection service. The PUC has planned and implemented a variety of new projects over the years to reinforce, update, and expand electricity production and distribution to meet growing residential and commercial needs.
Generating Stations
The PUC maintains four diesel-powered generating stations on the islands of Mahe and Praslin. The country’s first power plant, known as Power Station A, is located at Huteau Lane but is now defunct. The island of Mahe hosts Power Stations B and C, located at New Port and Roche Caiman, respectively. These two stations supply energy to Mahe and the inner islands. The final power plant, located at Baie Ste. Anne on the island of Praslin, supplies energy to Praslin as well as La Digue, Île Ronde, and Île Chauve-Souris. They also maintain two integrated distribution networks, a 33-kilovolt network on the island of Mahe for transmission of electrical power and an 11-kilovolt network extending around the islands for distribution. There are also distribution substations with associated low-voltage networks.
The government of Seychelles authorized the formation of the Seychelles Energy Commission (SEC) to improve the efficiency of its current energy resources and oversee the implementation of alternative energy sources to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. The PUC also supports public conservation efforts through a variety of conservation programs and media campaigns.
The SEC and PUC have also partnered with private entities such as Sustainability for Seychelles (S4S) to implement programs designed to foster public energy awareness and sustainable living. S4S’s grant-funded project has involved families who receive an energy audit followed by assistance to implement such technologies as solar water heaters and energy-efficient appliances; their energy savings are then monitored in hopes of promoting widespread adoption of such technologies.
Renewable Energy
Seychelles has also begun efforts to utilize renewable energy sources, including solar and wind power. Key goals include international cooperation and the improved commercial affordability of alternative energy technologies. Seychelles is a party to a number of international energy and environmental agreements in a variety of fields, including climate change, desertification, hazardous wastes, marine dumping, ozone layer protection, and ship pollution, and the country is also a signatory to the Kyoto Protocol.
The government of Seychelles and the SEC have been cooperating with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the study and implementation of renewable energy, among other areas. The UAE is the headquarters for the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), of which Seychelles is a member nation. The Abu Dhabi–based energy company Masdar has been commissioned by the government to undertake a renewable energy feasibility study as well as to develop renewable energy sources. The company is beginning with a wind power project, including the establishment of meteorological towers to measure wind speed. Masdar’s projects represent the first major renewable energy initiatives in Seychelles’s history
Bibliography
Consular Mission of the Republic of Seychelles. “Seychelles Already on Green Energy Path.” December 24, 2009. http://www.seychelles.hu/node/294.
"Fossil Fuels." Seychelles Energy Commission, www.sec.sc/index.php/electricity-sector/generation/fossil-fuels. Accessed 27 Sept. 2017.
"Seychelles." The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency, 8 Sept. 2017, www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/se.html. Accessed 27 Sept. 2017.
Sustainability for Seychelles. “About Us, Our Mission and Objectives.” http://www.s4seychelles.com/about-us-our-mission-and-objectives.html.
US Energy Information Administration. “Country Analysis Brief: Seychelles.” http://205.254.135.7/countries/country-data.cfm?fips=SE.