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5 MW Solar+Storage Project In Seychelles

Masdar commissioned the 6 MW Port Victoria Wind Farm in Seychelles in 2013 (in the picture). At the same location, it now will build the 5 MW Romainville Solar PV plant with a battery storage component of 5 MW/3.3 MWh. (Photo Credit: Masdar)

Anu Bhambhani
  • Masdar will develop a 5 MW solar PV plant in Seychelles that will have 5 MW/3.3 MWh of battery storage component
  • It will be located on the same artificial island where part of the 6 MW Port Victoria Wind Farm built by Masdar stands; the wind farm has been operational since 2013
  • EPC scope for the project includes subsea cabling, switchgear extensions and an underground water piping system for module cleaning
  • Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) will finance the project with an AED 31 million ($8.44 million) loan; PUC of Seychelles will also fund it with equity
  • The 5 MW Romainville PV project will be commissioned in second quarter of 2019

The East African nation of Seychelles will soon have a 5 MW solar power plant with battery storage component right next to the operational 6 MW Port Victoria Wind Farm. Abu Dhabi Future Company, Masdar announced it will work on the 5 MW Ile de Romainville Solar Park along with the country's Public Utilities Corporation (PUC). EPC services for the project includes subsea cabling, switchgear extensions and an underground water piping system for module cleaning.

Masdar was also responsible for the Port Victoria Wind Farm that has been generating clean energy since 2013 for Victoria, Seychelles' capital and the island of Mahe. Five of the eight wind turbines of the Port Victoria farm stand on an artificial island, which is where the 5 MW PV project will also be stationed.

The Romainville project will have 5 MW/3.3 MWh of battery storage component that will supply solar power to the main island of Mahe. Storage component will ensure grid stability as well as safe operation of PUC's conventional fuel-fired power station, according to Masdar.

While PUC will disperse funds from its own equity, Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) will finance the project with an AED 31 million ($8.44 million) loan, part of its $350 million facility through which it provides concessionary loans over seven funding cycles to support renewable energy projects in developing nations.

The Romainville Solar Park is part of the ADFD and International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) project facility and will come online in Q2/2019.

"By combining solar energy with wind power, Seychelles will double its renewables capacity while freeing up resources for economic development. The battery storage component will also address the intermittency challenges of renewables, further consolidating Seychelles' energy security," said PUC CEO, Philippe Morin.

With this project, Seychelles hopes to save some 2,000,000 litres of fuel annually. Fossil fuels account for around 20% of the country's imports. It aims to have 5% share of renewables in its energy mix by 2020 and 15% by 2030.

In April 2018, Seychelles launched a PV tender for 4 MW floating grid-connected project as one of the world's first salt-water floating solar PV plant (see 4 MW Floating PV Tender In Seychelles).