• Seychelles signed a 25-year power purchase agreement with France’s Qair for a 5.8 MW floating solar plant.
• The project, Seysun Lagoon Floating PV, is financed by a $5.7 million senior loan from the Facility for Energy Inclusion (FEI).
• The government targets 15% renewable energy in its national mix by 2030.

The Republic of Seychelles has launched construction of a 5.8 MW floating solar power plant to reduce its reliance on imported petroleum products. The Public Utilities Corporation (PUC) signed a 25-year power purchase agreement with French renewable developer Qair to deliver the project.

Authorities broke ground on the plant, called Seysun Lagoon Floating PV, on September 30 in Providence Lagoon, Mahé Island. The facility is scheduled to come online in 2026.

The project supports Seychelles’ energy roadmap, which aims to raise the share of renewables to 15% of its national mix by 2030, based on its nationally determined resources. By opting for floating solar, the island nation addresses land scarcity while boosting long-term sustainability.

“By choosing floating solar, the Seychelles is adopting a durable solution adapted to its land constraints,” officials said during the launch ceremony, which gathered government representatives and the French ambassador.

The project reached financial close in August with a $5.7 million senior loan from the Facility for Energy Inclusion (FEI), managed by Cygnum Capital. The FEI’s support highlights the role of specialized financial instruments in enabling small but strategic clean energy projects in island states.

Officials emphasized the political and diplomatic importance of the initiative, which strengthens energy security and supports the country’s decarbonization efforts.

While Seysun Lagoon will not immediately replace fossil fuels in electricity production, it creates a pathway for additional renewable projects to gradually reduce the archipelago’s energy vulnerability.

This article was initially published in French by Abdoullah Diop

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum