Families of Barbarons estate benefit from solar panels | 24 October 2019

Minister Cosgrow and HC Suhag unveiling the plaque to inaugurate the solar panels

Residents of the Barbarons housing estate will benefit from low electricity cost following the inauguration of the rooftops solar panel project on each apartment.

The solar panels is a donation from the Indian government.

The inauguration ceremony, which took place recently, was attended by high commissioner of India to Seychelles General Dalbir Singh Suhag; the Minister for Environment, Energy and Climate Change, Wallace Cosgrow; the Minister for Habitat, Lands, Infrastructure and Land Transport, Pamela Charlette; principal secretaries, chief executives and other officials.

The solar panels were installed by an Indian based company called SEFTECH and the Public Utilities Company (PUC) under the Indian government’s grant of US $3.44 million for solar projects in Seychelles.

A three-kilowatt unit panel has been installed on the three-bedroom houses; two-bedroom ones have a two-kilowatt unit each while the one-bedroom houses have a one-kilowatt unit.

“The government of India has reaffirmed its commitment to extend development assistance to Seychelles, particularly in meeting its infrastructural needs,” said HC Suhag in his opening remarks.

He noted that one of the projects being implemented is the solar photovoltaic democratisation project which is spread across several areas in Seychelles which include government buildings and five hundred low income households.

“Once fully commissioned by the PUC, these units will jointly produce 90 megawatts over a period of one year, thereby providing an annual saving of R135,000,” the high commissioner noted.

He ended by commending Minister Cosgrow for undertaking environmentally friendly and sustainable projects for the betterment of the quality of the lives of ordinary Seychellois.

On his part Minister Cosgrow added that the ministry’s target is to generate 100% of electricity from renewable resources by 2050.

“To achieve this, significant investments have to be channeled in new renewable energy infrastructure, investments have to come from both public and private sectors,” said the minister.

He added that the ministry is grateful for the assistance that India has extended to Seychelles and looks forward to other collaborations in the future.

Syllvanie Nabbin is one resident of the estate whose family will benefit from the solar panels. She noted that her electricity cost has gone down significantly and she hopes it remains that way.