Mauritius is rich in renewable energy sources and making use of them is the key to preserve for preserving the island’s ecosystem. How can we fulfil this challenge?
Buy a solar water heater
Installing a solar water heater will dramatically reduce your electricity bill. Less energy-consuming, this device functions with energy recovered by the solar panels.
Various companies sell solar water heaters in Mauritius. LaCase recommends Dalafix Ltd. which features High Pressure Solar Water Heater Integrated and Split Unit types. This term refers to a system whereby the water tank can be placed in a garage or a store, whereas the collectors can be fixed on inclined or flat roof. On their side, Rey & Lenferna commercializes the brand Rheem Edwards from Australia. The capacity of these water heaters ranges from 180 liters to 400 liters. Other brands are available in Mauritius, such as Skyrays.
Producing green electricity with photovoltaic panels
Photovoltaic panels include no mechanical parts and convert directly solar energy which can be stored in electrical batteries or injected on the network of the Central Electricity Board (CEB).
The advantages
- The fuel used by photovoltaic panels is free: sunshine!
- No charge for storage and energy saving service
- No waste in operation
- Cost of dismantling is very low
- Less or almost no operation costs
- Deduction of a photovoltaic investment on taxable income, thanks to the Solar Energy Investment Allowance, 15% of the project cost
- No pollution
- Return on investment: 5 years
- Resale price of electricity to the CEB: between Rs 5.80 and Rs 6.00 per kilowatt hour
The Société Fournisseur d’Energies Renouvelables (SFER) is one of the firms specialized in the installation of photovoltaic panels. For a family home, the installed capacities lie between 1kWc (4 PV panels) and 3,5kWc (14 PV). Prices range from Rs 90,000 and Rs 390,000. At Duraco, the price of installations kits ranging from 1.2 kWc to 5 kWc starts as from Rs 105,000. The company deals with everything from the feasibility study to the maintenance contract.
The SSDG NET METERING
SSDG (small scale distributed generation) is a program launched since September 2015 by the Mauritius authorities. The aim is to give the opportunity to 2,000 Mauritian households to interconnect their renewable energy to interconnect their renewable energy facilities to the electricity distribution system.
Financial assistance
- The clients of CIM can purchase their solar water heater via the Hire Purchase.
- The Agence Française de développement offers a gift equivalent to 8% of the value of the project to clients who purchase photovoltaic power plant at SFER through a loan at MCB and SBM. *
- Finally, the MCB offers with its Housing Loan, 15% discount on solar water heaters sold by Rey & Lenferna.
For those who still hesitate to invest in renewable energy, the easiest way to save energy: adopt every day the right actions. Turn off the lights when leaving a room, use energy saving light bulbs, do not open the refrigerator only when necessary, and turn off your devices (TV, DVD, etc.) instead of leaving them on standby, among others..
LaCase recommends you to check the « Guide pratique pour utiliser moins d’électricité sans diminuer son confort » distributed by the CEB for other simple tips, but which will make you save big!
* For more information, visit SFER.
Discover on LaCase, more tips and advice to build and decorate your home so as to save energy.
