‘Resource Efficiency Project’ launched |27 November 2014

Seychelles is highly dependent on imported fuel to meet its energy needs. It is estimated that 90% of our primary energy supply comes from imported fuel.

This puts much pressure on the country’s foreign exchange reserves, exacerbates state budget deficits, and poses major energy security concerns, both in terms of access to supplies and pricing, with consumers having to meet the rising cost of electricity.

This is why we need to develop a reliable market for energy-efficient (EE) appliances.  As we become a more environmentally conscious nation many initiatives are taking shape in order to promote widespread use of energy and water efficient appliances.

The last to date is entitled ‘Promotion and Up-scaling of Climate-resilient, Resource-efficient Technologies in a Tropical Island Context’ or the ‘Resource Efficiency Project for Seychelles’.

This new project will focus on promoting and creating an enabling environment for the adoption of EE appliances, such as air conditioning units, refrigerators, freezers and washing machines. The project will also look at widespread dissemination of technologies to reduce water use in the domestic sector.

Its aim is to help reduce energy consumption through increasing use of EE appliances, especially in view of the continuous rise of electricity costs in Seychelles. It also aims at addressing the constraints faced by the EE market. For instance, lack of consumer awareness, limited financing mechanisms and the absence of standards and labeling schemes.

The project which is being funded under the government of Seychelles, United Nations Development Programme and Global Environment Facility (GOS-UNDP-GEF) was initiated during an inception workshop at the Coco D’Or Hotel at Beau Vallon on Monday morning.

Various key stakeholders including the Ministry of Environment and Energy, the Seychelles Energy Commission, the Public Utilities Corporation (PUC), other ministries and government agencies, the UNDP and the business community took part in the workshop. Delegates were given an overview of the project objectives, work plan, budget and outcomes.

Launching the project, the principal secretary for Environment and Energy Wills Agricole described it as part of Seychelles’ Strategic Climate Action Plan and a milestone in the country’s strategy to embrace renewable energy and energy efficiency.

He added that Seychelles has taken a critical step forward to cut the harmful carbon pollution fueling climate change from power generators, by seizing clean energy opportunities.

“This project is essential in our quest for Seychelles to be among the most energy efficient economy in the south-west Indian Ocean. Not because it is nice to have it, but because it is an essential part of how Seychelles is going to compete in this global race, in terms of rebuilding our industrial base to renewable and efficient energy.  […] Without energy we cannot have good homes, good communities and development. It is for this reason that Seychelles has decided to transform its economy from one that depends on petroleum to one benefiting from modern, efficient, clean and renewable sources of energy”, the principal secretary said.

The Resource Efficiency Project is a four-year project with a grant from the GEF of US $1.77 million that will be implemented by project manager Andrew Jean-Louis and administered by the GOS-UNDP-GEF Programme Coordination Unit (PCU). It will be implemented by the Seychelles Energy Commission.