Mauritius launches net metering scheme for residential PV

Share

Mauritius’ Central Electricity Board (CEB) has launched the second phase of the Small Scale Distributed Generation Net-Metering Scheme. The new phase of the program is expected to enable the installation of up to 2 MW of PV systems not exceeding 5 kW.

The CEB confirmed that the investment for buying and installing a PV power generator under the scheme can be entirely deducted from the income tax return, as in the first phase of the program. Furthermore, customers interested in installing a PV system may also be entitled to secure low-interest loans with local banks.

Under the scheme, customers generating electricity will export any excess energy in the grid, in the form of kWh credits. The credits will be used when the customer’s system is not producing enough power to meet demand.

The scheme will be open to those customers included in the categories “Integrated Resort Scheme” and “Real Estate Scheme”. Applications can already be filed.

Popular content

Through phase I of the scheme, launched in 2015 and closed in December of last year, around 5.2 MW of PV systems under net metering was installed in the archipelago. The Mauritian grid is now hosting 5 MW, while another 200 kW was installed in Rodrigues. The 5 MW in Mauritius is allocated to customers of the Domestic Customer Category (4 MW) and to IRS, RES and Three-phase Domestic Customers (1 MW) and and others having declared load below 20 kVA.

Mauritius has a good solar potential thanks to an average annual solar radiation value of some 6 kWh/m2/day. At the end of 2015, the country had an installed PV capacity of approximately 15 MW, according to official statistics released by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.