Africa-Press – Mauritius. The Minister of Energy and Public Utilities, Mr Georges Pierre Lesjongard, effected a site visit, this morning, at the Central Electricity Board (CEB) substation at La Tour Koenig, where a new battery energy storage system (BESS) has been installed.
The Minister visited the Battery Room, the Power Conversion System, the 66kV Yard, and the 22 kV Switch Gear Room. In a statement, Mr Lesjongard expressed satisfaction as regards the installations made at the substation, which he stressed, demonstrates that the CEB has deployed state-of-the-art technology.
He added that this shows that the CEB is gearing up to implement various Governmental decisions, including increasing the production of renewable energy by 60 % by 2030 and phasing out the use of coal before 2030. These installations, he underlined, will be crucial so that we shift to a low-carbon economy.
He pointed out that in 2016, the Government with the support of the UNDP secured a grant of USD 28.2 M from the Green Climate Fund for the national project “Accelerating the Transformational Shift to a Low-Carbon Economy in the Republic of Mauritius” whereby the CEB is the main beneficiary.
Some USD 11.4 M have been earmarked for the implementation of 14MW BESS to be installed at four main substations namely Jin Fei (4MW), Wooton (4MW), Anahita (4MW) and La Tour Koenig (2MW), he indicated.
The Minister also highlighted that the BESS of the substation is helping the CEB in maintaining the stability of the electrical grid by compensating for the rapid drop or rise in Variable Renewable Energy power output.
Mr Lesjongard recalled that for Mauritius to meet its renewable energy target, it was recommended that 18 MW Battery Energy Storage Systems be installed, the mode of operation of generating units changed and an Automatic Generation Control implemented.
He affirmed that by November this year, the CEB will reach a battery absorption of 18 MW, and in some two years, 38 MW, which he added, will enable the implementation of all renewable energy projects.
The Minister also spoke of other projects in the pipeline including the setting up of a 2 MWp Floating PV Farm at Tamarind Falls, which might be extended to other reservoirs and the setting up of a wind farm.
‘Our vision is to cut down on the use of fossil fuels and shift to clean renewable energy as well as become the carbon-neutral champion among all the Small Island Developing States’, he highlighted.
Minister Lesjongard emphasised that the CEB is harnessing all the required resources in terms of technology and installations for the production of renewable energy and also acting to abide by its commitments made to the international community.
In addition, he said, these measures will enable the country to better address the climate change challenge. He reiterated Government’s vision of boosting the production of renewable energy and leveraging the green energy sector as a pillar of the economy so that it contributes to the economic growth of Mauritius.
