[PRESS RELEASE]
[31st January 2023]The Carbon Neutral Industrial Sector Renewable Energy (CNIS RE) Scheme was launched yesterday in Ebène by the Central Electricity Board (CEB) to provide a viable option for industrial companies to invest in renewable energy power generation, especially solar and wind, for their consumption.
The Minister of Energy and Public Utilities, Mr Georges Pierre Lesjongard. The Minister of Industrial Development, SMEs and Cooperatives, Mr Soomilduth Bholah, the Officer-In-Charge of the CEB, Mr Radjen Chowdharry, the Chairman of the Mauritius Export Association (MEXA), Mr Arif Currimjee, and other personalities were present at the launching ceremony.
In his address, Minister Lesjongard highlighted that the CNIS RE scheme represents a landmark achievement in the renewable energy sector. He expressed appreciation as regards the collaboration between his Ministry, the CEB, the MEXA and the Association of Mauritian Manufacturers for the formulation of the scheme. This scheme, he reminded, is aligned with the Government’s green energy transition and the objective of attaining 60% of renewables in the local electricity mix by 2030.
Speaking about the features of the CNIS RE scheme, the Minister indicated that it would provide industrial customers with a viable option to mitigate the impact of electricity tariff increases in the present and future. According to him, it will also allow industries to switch to using sustainable and clean energy, improving their carbon footprint and enhancing the marketing of their respective products. Under the present scheme phase, he pointed out, the CEB plans to integrate a total cumulated capacity of 100 megawatts of renewable energy facilities into the national grid.
Furthermore, Minister Lesjongard informed that in case of any review in tariff, the typical structure of the unbundled time-of-use tariff would, as far as possible, be maintained to preserve the differentials of the running charge rates. He added that companies could generate renewable energy up to 150% of their annual electricity requirements, while the CEB will purchase excess energy production at a rate of Rs 1.86 per kilowatt-hour during the four initial years of the operation of the facility. Minister Lesjongard also called upon industries to benefit from these reliefs and incentives offered to initiate their projects before June 2023.
As for Minister Bholah, he observed that the scheme would help manufacturers produce their electricity as well as feed the surplus, at an attractive rate, to the national electricity grid, thereby increasing their profit margin. He emphasised that the industrial sector, amongst the main energy consumers by accounting for around 28 % of the total energy consumed, will benefit from the scheme as it will pave the way for accelerated uptake of clean and renewable energy on a larger scale.
He reaffirmed that his Ministry, motivated by the imperative to strike the proper equilibrium between the country’s economic, environmental and social needs, is leaving no stone unturned to build a solid foundation for sustainable and green industrial development in Mauritius.
The Officer-In-Charge of the CEB expressed optimism as regards this new scheme which is aligned with the Government’s objective of attaining carbon neutrality. At the same time, MEXA’s Chairman commended the public-private collaboration for the conceptualisation of the scheme.