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Publisher: Energynautics GmbH

Energynautics helps Seychelles drive its Renewable Energy Transformation

Darmstadt/Germany - In a study to investigate renewable energy integration, Energynautics is working with the Seychelles Public Utilities Corporation (PUC) and Seychelles Energy Commission (SEC) to help the island nation ramp up its use of renewable energy.

German energy consultancy Energynautics announces the award of a major new World Bank project from the Seychelles Public Utilities Corporation (PUC) and Seychelles Energy Commission (SEC) to evaluate how best to include solar and wind energy into the Seychelles grid system. The project, which was completed at the end of August this year, aims to help Seychelles identify the technical and economic measures necessary to substantially increase the share of renewable energy generation.


Reducing dependency on fuel imports

With renewable energy technology becoming increasingly affordable, Seychelles is seeking to reduce its dependency on fossil fuel imports and drive down its energy costs by making greater use of energy from renewable sources. The country aims to cover 15% of its energy needs from renewable sources by 2030, and the study by Energynautics is a key component in enabling the country to achieve this ambitious target and make renewable energy an affordable and more predominant part of the power mix.

Commenting on the award of the study, Dr. Thomas Ackermann, CEO and co-founder of Energynautics, said, “We are delighted to work with the Seychelles Energy Commission and Public Utilities Corporation on this project, and appreciate the opportunity to contribute our expertise and experience in integrating renewable energies into national power systems. The study will deliver insights to help Seychelles make greater use of renewable energy, integrate these renewable sources effectively into its power grid, and put the right tariffs in place to incentivise renewable energy efforts throughout the country.”

At present, Seychelles has various renewable energy projects underway. One is a sixmegawatt wind farm on the island of Mahé. This, the country’s first large-scale renewable energy project, can generate enough power to cover the energy needs of over 2,000 Seychelles households. Another initiative concerns solar power. Enjoying year-round sunshine, Seychelles is optimally positioned to capture and use solar energy, and there are numerous utility-scale solar power installations and projects, as well as a pilot initiative to encourage small-scale rooftop solar panel installations which can feed power into the country\'s grid. The new study with Energynautics comprises four stages. In the first step, Energynautics will analyse the potential impact of various levels of renewable energy generation, defining maximum capacity under present circumstances and proposing ways to increase the country’s capacity. Next, Energynautics will draft a grid code, which sets out the minimum technical requirements for renewable energy producers – from small-scale to commercial – to connect to national transmission and distribution systems. Energynautics is also evaluating the steps that the PUC needs to take right now to meet its target of integrating 5% of variable renewable energy into its grid by 2020.

Energynautics’ partner Meister Consultants Group, based out of Boston, USA, was tasked with developing the economic support mechanisms for new renewable generation projects. Getting the right incentives in place to encourage investment in projects – from a multimegawatt installation to a few solar panels on a private house – is vital to establishing renewable energy as a key element of the country’s power landscape. The third step of the project therefore investigates feed-in tariffs and evaluates how to strike the right balance between an attractive return on investment for project funders, and affordability for consumers and taxpayers. The fourth and final step involves preparing template Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) for larger renewable energy systems, including wind, solar, biomass, hydro, waste-to-energy and hybrid systems. The project was completed in August.


About Energynautics

Energynautics GmbH is a power systems consultancy firm based in Darmstadt, Germany. Founded in 2000, the company has a record of excellence in research and consulting projects for governments, power grid operators, regulators, manufacturers and investors, with a special focus on innovative grid design and optimal integration of renewable sources into power grids. With a multi-language team of consultants who boast a strong academic and research background, the company offers expertise in technical modelling, design, simulation studies, grid code development and analysis of power systems and renewable energy integration.



Darmstadt/Germany, 22 September 2014



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