Renewable Energy - Solar Projects: Negotiations between Rose-Belle Sugar Estate and the CEB

Mauritius is moving towards renewable energy. A partnership is developing between the Rose-Belle Sugar Estate, the only public sugar company, and the Central Electricity Board (CEB) for the creation of solar farms on agricultural land in the southern part of the island.

As part of Mauritius's efforts to accelerate its energy transition, discussions are ongoing between the Rose-Belle Sugar Estate (RBSE) and the Central Electricity Board (CEB). The main issue is the availability of land owned by RBSE for the establishment of solar farms. These negotiations align with the national goal of achieving 60% renewable energy in the energy mix by 2035, as recently reaffirmed by the Minister of Energy and Public Utilities, Patrick Assirvaden.

RBSE, the only state-owned sugar company in Mauritius, has vast expanses of land in the South that could be repurposed. Founded on a historic sugar production model, it faces ongoing economic challenges, with assets valued at around Rs 3 billion but debts amounting to Rs 1.2 billion, as revealed by the Minister of Agro-Industry, Arvin Boolell, in Parliament in May. We have learned that part of this debt has since been cleared by RBSE.

The availability of land represents a major obstacle for renewable energy projects in Mauritius, where land constraints limit expansion options. The country aims to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels, which still make up the majority of electricity production.

A joint RBSE-CEB committee, co-chaired by Arvin Boolell and Patrick Assirvaden, has held two meetings to date. These discussions aim to identify suitable plots and assess their potential for photovoltaic installations. RBSE has already shown interest in energy partnerships, as evidenced by its strategic plan to sell electricity to CEB through solar and wind farms. Previous agreements, such as the one signed in 2022 for the Le Val solar farm, indicate RBSE's interest; however, this project has yet to materialize.

The process remains complex. Any allocation of land requires a land conversion procedure, changing its use from agricultural to industrial or energy, under the supervision of the Ministry of Agro-Industry. This is followed by an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), which is mandatory for large-scale projects.

The 2030 Roadmap for renewable energies, updated to target 60% by 2035, emphasizes solar and wind energy to compensate for the gradual phasing out of coal. If successful, these initiatives could significantly contribute to this goal while diversifying RBSE's revenues beyond sugarcane.