Seychelles already on green energy path
24.12.2009
Seychelles is already on its way to developing renewable energy from the wind and the sun, two key counter-climate change proposals made by experts at the Copenhagen summit.
President James Michel referred to these efforts in his address at the summit last Wednesday.
Talking to the media after addressing the World Energy Summit in the United Arab Emirates early this year, he announced that a feasibility study is being done by the Abu Dhabi future energy company Masdar.
In January Mr Michel also held lengthy talks with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nayan, focusing on renewable energy and other areas of cooperation between Seychelles and Abu Dhabi.
Masdar is initially looking at ways to tap into wind power to generate electricity here. There has been some research in Seychelles before on renewable energy, but the company’s projects are the first major initiatives in the field.
The summit was one of the opportunities Mr Michel has used to set up contacts with leaders in the renewable energy sector and to voice the vulnerability of small island states.
“In 2007, global production of solar cells increased by 51%, bringing world solar energy generation to about 10,000 megawatts, enough for about 20 million African homes. We could make a difference, if only those technologies could be made commercially affordable,” he said at the energy summit.
The President said sources of renewable energy would also reduce Seychelles’ costly dependence on imported oil.
“The recent oil crisis has had a lasting and significant impact on the economy of Seychelles. Renewable energy will also minimise the negative impact on the environment. We need energy, but not at the detriment of our common heritage. We all share the same planet, the same air, water and oceans,” he told the delegates.
“The consequences of climate change are too harsh for us to bear as a nation. Faced with the menace of sea-level rise, protracted droughts and catastrophic weather events, even the most resilient will fall prey to despair and hopelessness. We are not alone in this, for many communities could be displaced and many small islands could disappear.”
Mr Michel talked again recently of the need for modern “green technology” when he supported Korean President Lee Myung-bak’s call for the efficient sharing of science and technology, which he said will be one of the keys to success in the battle against climate change.
Mr Michel was speaking at the International Astronautical Congress in Daejeon, South Korea, where he stressed that the danger climate change poses is not simply a pressing concern but a matter of survival for people who live on islands.
Three months ago, Seychelles’ collaboration with the UAE in the area of renewable energy gained new impetus when the President held further talks with Masdar as the UAE positioned itself to be a global leader in the field after winning the right to host the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena).
Seychelles signed an agreement with Masdar that set the conditions to develop renewable energy in Seychelles, notably through wind power.
The Masdar wind project involves a potential investment of over US $25 million and can make a significant impact in helping provide electricity from alternative sources. This investment is also expected to lead to new employment opportunities in the field.
Following initial studies, meteorological towers needed to measure the wind power in Seychelles will be put up early next year. If the initial results are confirmed, Seychelles could be benefiting from wind energy in less than two years.
The newly formed Seychelles Energy Commission is working with Masdar to ensure the country can take concrete strides towards reducing its dependence on fossil fuels.
“We all remember how hard the fuel crisis of 2008 hit us. Our efforts to explore alternative energy sources are part of our approach of ensuring the sustainability of our nation’s development,” said Mr Michel.
“This has always been at the crux of our reform process. We appreciate the interest of the UAE government in supporting us in this endeavour.”
While we look for alternative energy, we continue to look for the most environmentally friendly ways of running our vehicles, power generators and ships.
During the weekend we received our newest tanker, the Seychelles Paradise, and looking at the builder’s website one sees just how serious we are in not polluting the environment, a point the President has been stressing.
Among our instructions to Lindenau GMBH were:
● Provide a tanker that will supply the islands with oil products and LPG, with an extremely safe, economical and ecological ship;
● The ship must have minimum fuel consumption. This requirement is achieved by optimising the ship’s lines, with large propellers and an extremely favourable block coefficient;
● The ship must have an easy, safe and efficient manoeuvrability for berthing at terminals. This will be achieved due to the efficient and powerful bow thruster and the highly efficient full-spade profile rudders;
● The tanker must be double-hulled with epoxy-coated cargo tanks with absolutely smooth tank surfaces. The stiffeners of the main deck face outwards to allow short discharge times and minor cargo residues;
● Powerful electric-driven deck-mounted screw pumps to enable a total cargo separation, very short discharge times and thus very short times at the terminals or bunkered ships;
● The integrated engine control system and power management system of auxiliary diesel engines will ensure an economical, environmental and safe operation of engines.