EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 78/396

(2004/C 78 E/0419)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2123/03

by Isabelle Caullery (UEN) to the Commission

(25 June 2003)

Subject: Promotion of renewable energy sources and waste processing in Mauritius

Can the Commission inform us of the various types of aid, measures, programmes and/or budget lines that can be used to promote the development of renewable energy sources, particularly wind energy, in Mauritius? Can the EDF (European Development Fund) be called upon to contribute, and in accordance with which procedures?

Since landfill no longer seems to be a viable long-term solution for Mauritius, can the Commission answer the same questions with regard to encouraging the installation of waste incinerators that produce clean energy?

With regard to both renewable energy sources and waste incinerators, can the EIB's traditional and new instruments be brought into play to promote non-polluting and sustainable development in Mauritius?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(1 August 2003)

Since the 5th European Development Fund (EDF) several programmes have been implemented regarding renewable energy sources for Mauritius and the island countries of the South Indian Ocean region. As part of the Denroi (Développement des énergies renouvelables pour la zone Océan Indien) regional project. A wind energy pilot programme was financed in Mauritius in the late eighties. This pilot project suffered from a lack of ownership and maintenance; ultimately the units were damaged during the cyclone seasons.

The private sector has been hesitant about setting up wind energy farms. It is understood that this is due to exposure of the island to cyclone-force winds during an almost half-year long season.

More successful has been the generation of electricity from thermal plants fuelled by bagasse, a natural by-product of sugar cane. Currently this technology, operated fully by the private sector, is providing around 30 % of energy delivered to the grid and there are plans to replace fossil-fuel powered plants by this mode to account for up to 50 % of the national energy requirements. The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the primary financing partner of these private-sector initiatives.

The Commission financed studies of solid waste management in Mauritius which led to a National Solid Waste Management Plan (NSWMP) with clear strategies in the short, medium and long term. Whilst the short term strategy maintained the usage of dump sites, for the long term strategy the Community-financed study has indeed proposed the construction of a large incinerator (≈ 220 000 tonne/annum) in the western part of the island and a medium one (≈ 74 000 tonne/annum) in the northern part. The study recommended that the incinerators be built on a design, build, finance and operate basis (DBFO) considering on potential revenues from sales of electricity generated by the incinerator plant (estimate of 106 Gigawatt hours (GWh)/year). The World Bank is currently supporting the solid waste sector in Mauritius and additional funding, (via a public expenditure reform loan), may be provided allowing installation of a solid waste incinerator. Within the 9th EDF, the Commission is concentrating its support to the implementation of the Mauritius National Sewerage Programme.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) assigns a high priority to the expansion of its lending for renewable energy projects and other projects supporting an environmentally sustainable development, both inside the Union and in Partner Countries. In the framework of the Cotonou Agreement under which the Bank operates in Mauritius — as under its predecessor the Lomé Convention — the EIB is mandated to support economically, financially, technically and environmentally viable projects in all key sectors of the economy, including renewable energy and waste incineration.

In Mauritius, the EIB has contributed significantly to the diversification of the country's electricity production away from oil-fired generation and towards the use of bagasse — a source of renewable energy the country abounds in — by part-financing the construction of a base-load coal/bagasse fired power station situated in the north of the island. The project was completed on schedule and has started commercial operations in 2000. The Bank would be prepared to look at other viable renewable energy propositions in the future.