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Seychelles’ clean energy initiatives get big boost |20 August 2012

Seychelles’ clean energy initiatives get big boost

(From l to r) Mr Sturges, Ms Luken, Prof. Payet and Mr Agricole during the press conference

A two-member fact finding team from the foundation’s Climate Initiative (CCI) undertook a three-day visit here recently to talk with key stakeholders from different ministries, departments, agencies, the private sector, the Public Utilities Corporation (PUC) and non-governmental organisations.

The aim of the visit was to identify strategies that can reduce Seychelles’ dependency on fossil fuel by either identifying alternative energy sources which would thus help reduce consumption of such fuel.

This is through the Island Initiative of the CCI.
Karen Luken, the director for Global Waste and Waste Water and Darien Sturges, who works with the clean energy sector of the CCI, held talks with the Minister for Environment and Energy Professor Rolph Payet and the principal secretary from the same ministry Wills Agricole.

Speaking to the press soon after that meeting, Prof. Payet said the discussions had been very encouraging.

He said as Seychelles has embarked on a policy to transform the economy to one based on renewable energy with the aim of making the country carbon neutral, the visit has allowed the team to see for itself the actions on the ground and the various initiatives which are under way, explore potential areas for further initiatives and those where the foundation can provide help.

He noted that this mission is only the first and it is the outcome of talks aimed at seeking help from the   Clinton Foundation which started in New York through Seychelles’ ambassador for Climate Change Ronny Jumeau.

Prof. Payet said the team discussed a number of issues, in particular the ongoing wind energy project, the various challenges that Seychelles as a small island state faces in terms of putting in place renewable energy technology. This include changing people’s mindset, shifting consumer behaviour to more energy conserving habits, legal structure that need to be put in place namely the new Energy Act and  the new tariff structure.
 
“These are very important instruments to allow us to open the market and to allow people to invest in the various renewable energy technologies,” added Prof. Payet.

Prof. Payet noted that just like Seychelles, the Clinton Foundation is particularly focused on carrying out action on the ground and the two parties have agreed to develop a MoU by which they would work on specific projects with the priority on :

• the waste energy project where our technical capacity is limited and Seychelles will seek the foundation support to build a proper and efficient plant which would deal with both the solid waste problem and also produce energy from these types of waste
• finding ways to make schools carbon neutral
• intensifying consumer education
• stepping up effort to move the country to a smarter electrical grid
• discussing ways to engage the tourism industry to become more proactive and more involved in conservation activities

Describing the discussions as fruitful and encouraging, Ms Luken said the level of commitment observed here with regard to decreasing energy consumption is impressing.

She pointed out that every department is focused on the same issue and the various bodies are communicating and working together. She added that more importantly Seychelles has taken the initiative of creating the Energy Commission that serves as an umbrella under which all agencies and departments work.

“That is critical because the more they all work together a better project will result,” she said.

Prof. Payet noted that foundation also looks at ways to translate examples on the ground to benefit other small islands which are facing challenges in implementing their projects.

He said Seychelles is a good platform where this can be carried out as there is commitment from the highest level, private sector and NGO initiatives as well as the necessary procedures and legal instruments in place which would allow those projects to proceed.

With the necessary help and support, Seychelles could well become an example for other island states around the world.

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