Energy Policy: Companies Reinvent Their Organization in Response to Consumption Peaks
In light of the strain on the electrical grid, Mauritian companies are mobilizing to limit their consumption. Hotels, construction sites, and industries are adjusting their operations, optimizing energy use, and implementing backup solutions to secure the grid and ensure operational continuity. What measures are being taken? Let's take a look!
Following recent episodes of strain on the electrical grid, with October 15 marking a critical moment for electricity supply, Business Mauritius is urging companies to adopt concrete measures to reduce their consumption during peak hours. Amandine Hardowar de Rosnay, Head of Sustainability & Inclusive Growth, stated, "This type of situation is likely not isolated, and we must now learn to anticipate and collectively adapt to a more constrained energy reality. This situation concerns the government, businesses, and citizens."
The business community is already mobilizing. As early as September, Business Mauritius, through the Energy Transition Entrepreneurs Club, organized a workshop with the Central Electricity Board (CEB) focused on demand management and best practices. Recommended actions include "reducing non-essential usage from 6 PM to 9 PM, rescheduling energy-intensive activities outside peak times, and optimizing air conditioning and lighting," explained Amandine Hardowar de Rosnay. During the October 15 episode, these recommendations helped mitigate the impact on the grid and avoid a blackout scenario.
Self-Production
Beyond immediate adjustments, Business Mauritius advocates for a medium- to long-term vision. "Several sectors have already embraced self-production and the integration of renewable energies, particularly tourism, agro-industry, and certain industrial companies," she noted. The goal is to expand these initiatives to more businesses by facilitating access to investment, storage, and energy efficiency technologies. "In the long run, the goal is clear: to build an economic fabric that is less dependent on fossil fuels, more diversified, and better prepared for climatic uncertainties and supply fluctuations," she added.
According to Business Mauritius, energy resilience can only be built through close cooperation between public and private actors. Business Mauritius is thus coordinating with the CEB, the Ministry of Energy and Public Utilities, the Energy Efficiency Management Office (EEMO), and the Mauritius Renewable Energy Agency (MARENA) to ensure a coordinated response in the event of grid strain. "The CEB has already implemented its graduated alert system, which saved between 12 to 15 MW during the last alert. On our part, we are consolidating information exchanges and assessing best practices implemented by businesses," she explained. Additionally, the upcoming establishment of a Working Group dedicated to monitoring and optimizing emergency protocols will enhance operational and communication coordination while supporting national efforts towards better energy preparedness. According to her, "It is through collaboration, data sharing, and joint planning that this collective resilience can be realized."
Adopting Responsible Behaviors
As MARENA prepares to play a central role in the country’s energy transition, its president, Dr. Khalil Elahee, urges companies to adopt responsible behaviors to avoid an electricity crisis in the coming months. "Contrary to what some believe, there have been no blackouts or load shedding in Mauritius," he emphasizes. For him, what we are currently experiencing is a red alert as a precautionary measure, not a catastrophic situation. He insists that this alert aims to mobilize all stakeholders – individuals, the public sector, businesses, and hotels – to prevent the electrical system from reaching a critical point.
For Dr. Khalil Elahee, this heightened vigilance should be seen as an opportunity to act collectively. "The red alert means that if we act now, there will be no load shedding." He argues that this action involves better demand management during peak hours, particularly in summer, when consumption reaches record levels. "In summer, with the heat, air conditioning, and sustained economic activity, demand can soar to 500 or 550 megawatts, or even more." He warns that if these peaks are not controlled, the economic consequences would be significant.
He states that uncontrolled load shedding would have a dual impact. "Economically, a large-scale electricity interruption would affect businesses, production, and trade. Socially, it would disrupt the daily lives of families, especially those relying on air conditioning or electrical equipment for comfort or the health of the elderly," explains the professor. He reminds that all measures are already in place to maximize production capacity. "The turbines and engines are running at full capacity. But that will not be enough if we do not reduce waste and manage our consumption better during peak hours."
CNIS Renewable Energy Scheme
Seventeen major consumers want to generate electricity to sell to CEB
In the 2022-2023 Budget, the then government stated its commitment to achieving carbon neutrality in the industrial sector by 2030. To realize this goal, the Carbon Neutral Industrial Sector (CNIS) Renewable Energy Scheme was developed.
Officially launched on January 30, 2023, this program aims to encourage industrial companies, excluding the sugar and energy sectors, to generate their own electricity from renewable sources, including solar and wind, and sell it to the CEB, which will then deduct the generated energy from these industries' bills.
This program supports the national decarbonization strategy and the goal of achieving 60% renewable energy in the electricity mix by 2030. It allows industries to reduce their dependence on the grid while benefiting from its reliability. According to the CEB, 17 major consumers of over 2 MW have applied to benefit from this program, totaling about 110 MW.
"We also have about 80 other small consumers with a capacity of less than 2 MW who have signed up for this program, representing a total of around 40 MW," says Damodar Doseeah, Senior Engineer of the control system at CEB.