Page 316 - Sustainable Cities and Communities Design Handbook

Mauritius Island Nation Chapter j 15 289

1%
29% 33%
DomesƟc
Commercial
Industrial
37% Other

FIGURE 15.6 Percentage share of electricity sold by tariff group in 2015 (SM, 2016a).

energy than the commercial sector due to the heavy use of liquefied petroleum
gas (LPG) for cooking and water heating. A domestic census carried out in
2011 indicated that 97.6% households use LPG for cooking while 61%, 13%,
and 12% of total households are equipped with gas water heater, solar water
heater (SWH), and electric water heater, respectively, for bathing (SM, 2011).

THE GOVERNMENT’S VISION OF RENEWABLE ENERGIES
UP TO 2025
Based on this profile, it is obvious that a business-as-usual scenario is
economically unsustainable in the long term as it exposes the national economy
1
to high risks due to the volatility of the oil market. For economic and
environmental reasons, it is imperative for Mauritius to reduce its dependency
on fossil fuels and expand the use of renewable resources (Clark and Bradshaw,
2004). The fact that the island is endowed with abundant and varied sources of
RE, particularly solar and wind, suggests that this green plan for the power
sector is feasible. Recently, Mauritius has started to leverage its resources in
earnest through the development of solar and wind farms. Ostensible progress
in this direction is evidenced by the increase of 1% in electricity generated
from RE sources during the period 2010e15, to reach about 681 GWh, as
illustrated in Table 15.2.
Driven by key objectives like improved energy security, economic resilience,
and environmental protection, Mauritius must rely on substantial commitments

1. Although oil prices have been falling for several years, they might rise again, therefore creating
a risky situation for countries that are heavily reliant on fossil fuels for energy production.