Independent Power Producer (IPP) Qair has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) for a 5.8 MWp floating solar power plant in Providence Lagoon, Seychelles. The electricity produced by the plant will be fed into the Seychelles national grid.
More than two years after being selected by the Seychelles authorities, the French independent power producer (IPP) Qair is finally making progress in the development of the Providence solar project. The company has just signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Public Utilities Corporation (PUC), the company that provides water, sanitation and electricity services in Seychelles.
The project involves the construction of a 5.8 MWp floating solar power plant in Providence Lagoon, near Mahé, the largest island in the Seychelles archipelago, located in the Indian Ocean off the coast of East Africa. The PPA was recently signed on the Energy Observer, a zero-emission, energy self-sufficient ship, serving as a laboratory for the ecological transition and promoting renewable energy, in which Qair is a partner.
Construction to begin in the fourth quarter of 2023
“The floating solar power plant is a game changer for Seychelles, providing a reliable source of renewable energy and contributing to the country’s sustainable development,” said Olivier Gaering, Qair’s Indian Ocean regional manager. According to him, the project will not only contribute to the country’s energy security, but will also create employment opportunities and stimulate economic growth.
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The PPA has a term of 25 years. More details were not given on the contract, including the price per kWh of electricity. But when the contract was awarded in 2020, the PUC planned to negotiate the price per kWh at 9.5 cents. Several other questions remain, since Qair (Quadran at the time) won the contract as part of a consortium that also included UAE energy company Masdar and Vetiver Tech.
However, the Providence solar project is supported by the African Development Bank (AfDB) under its African Legal Support Facility (ALSF). In its development phase, the project has also received support from the Clinton Foundation, Trinity International and Multiconsult Norge, one of the leading engineering and design firms in Norway and Scandinavia. The Providence floating solar power plant is expected to enter the construction phase in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Jean Marie Takouleu
