French independent renewable energy producer, Qair, has signed four power purchase agreements (PPAs) with the Mauritian state-owned power utility, the Central Electricity Board (CEB). The agreements are for the development of solar photovoltaic energy facilities and battery storage systems with a total capacity of up to 60 MWac.
The agreements between CEB and Qair Group cover the construction of four solar farms called “Stor’Sun (SS)” equipped with battery energy storage systems (BESS), in several locations in the country. The total investment costs of the projects are estimated at more than 7 billion Mauritian rupees (~ $150 million).
Qair will develop two solar power plants, the SS1 and SS2, in Trou d’Eau Douce, located in the Flacq district. The SS3 solar farm park will be built in Balaclava in the Pamplemousses district. The fourth solar plant (SS4) will be developed in Petite-Rivière, located in the Riviere Noire district. The four solar power plants with their battery storage units will be commissioned by 2024.
According to Qair, their flexible and scalable solutions allow for massive integration of renewable energy into the grid by shifting towards solar energy to the evening peak demand. They are also planned to provide stability to the grid using the latest BESS technologies and contribute to the phasing out of coal-powered plants.
Through the Stor’Sun solar projects, Qair is thus contributing to the Mauritian government’s strategy of decarbonization and diversification of the electricity mix, aiming for the production of 60% of electricity from renewable sources by 2030. The country, located off the coast of East Africa, is facing a rise in fossil fuels due to the current energy crisis.
Qair Group already operates three solar PV and wind energy farms in Mauritius with a combined capacity of 35 MW. The group founded by Jean-Marc Bouchet has a combined renewable energy capacity of 860 MW operational in Africa, South-East Asia, South America, and Europe.
 of Mauritius for the development of solar PV energy facilities and battery storage systems with a total capacity of up to 60 MWac, contributing to the country's decarbonization goals. The flexible and scalable solutions provided by Qair will allow for the integration of renewable energy into the grid, while also providing stability using the latest BESS technologies.){kind=link}