Seychelles is among the Indian Ocean countries which adopted the Abu Dhabi Declaration during the Indian Ocean Renewable Energy Ministerial Forum held on the margins of the recent Abu Dhabi’s Sustainable Week. 

Seychelles was represented at the forum by the Minister for Environment and Energy, Professor Rolph Payet. 

Ministers from the member and dialogue partner countries of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) held their first high-level meeting on the region’s renewable energy sector in partnership with the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena).  

The Indian Ocean Rim, representing approximately 15% of global energy demand, is rapidly emerging as a cost-competitive market for renewable energy.

Recognising the many benefits of renewable energy, the ministers encourage its growing prominence in the region’s energy portfolio, particularly leveraging cooperative initiatives among the IORA community.  IORA member states and dialogue partners can begin implementation of the Abu Dhabi Declaration, which establishes cooperative initiatives with IORA and Irena on the following:

1. Resource assessment

The Declaration endorses the expansion of the Global Renewable Energy Atlas, the world’s largest-ever joint renewable resource data project, coordinated by Irena.  The atlas currently focuses on solar and wind, and this year will also include geothermal and biomass resources. It is envisioned that IORA countries will contribute data on their own renewable energy resources to the atlas, thereby creating the Indian Ocean’s first and most comprehensive map and database.   This product will then be presented to IORA ministers at their next meeting.

2. Cost analysis

The Declaration calls for IORA member states and dialogue partners to take part, or facilitate their stakeholders’ involvement, in the Irena costing alliance, which is rapidly expanding the world’s largest database of actual project cost information, in order to record and demonstrate renewable energy’s commercial competitiveness for investors and policymakers. Data is aggregated and displayed anonymously so that individual projects cannot be identified, and there are no participation fees.  It is envisioned that IORA countries and their stakeholders will contribute data on their own renewable energy projects, thereby creating the Indian Ocean region’s first and most comprehensive cost profile.   This data will be presented to IORA ministers at their next meeting.

3. Capacity-building

The Declaration calls for IORA member states and dialogue partners to provide information on education and training opportunities within their countries for listing via the Irena Renewable Energy Learning Partnership (IRELP).  IRELP is the leading global reference for capacity-building opportunities in the renewable energy sector.  It also calls for participation in IRELP’s online Curriculum Development Forum, a collaborative tool for renewable energy curriculum design.

It is envisioned that by the next IORA ministers’ meeting, IRELP will offer the Indian Ocean region’s first and most comprehensive listing service, as well as support for design of educational curriculums.

4. Tourism applications

The Declaration calls for participation in Irena’s Global Renewable Energy Islands Network (GREIN), in order to scope opportunities for Indian Ocean islands and isolated communities. It is envisioned that IORA countries may (1) identify specific hotel and tourism companies to develop case studies of renewable energy usage, looking at cost competitiveness, and (2) take part in reviews of waste-to-energy and renewable-powered desalination systems that support tourism.  These projects and findings would then be presented to IORA ministers at their next meeting.

5. Other potential actions

A steering committee could be established to consider how best to take forward the outcomes of the first Indian Ocean Renewable Energy Ministerial Forum. The IORA Special Fund could be used to carry out specific projects and pilot projects on renewable energy. 

Minister Payet says that the ministers have further agreed to develop and implement an action plan in cooperation with the IORA and Irena secretariats for these activities. IORA committee of senior officials and council of ministers are expected to meet again later this year.