Mauritius-based infrastructure major Sotravic Ltd will receive $1 million funding under the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA), run by the African Development Bank (AfDB), for the development and installation of the Sea Water Air Conditioning (SWAC) System.
The SWAC is an innovative low-carbon technology that lowers building cooling costs using cold ocean water and is in line with the Maurice Ile Durable (MID) concept promoted by the government of Mauritius.
The Deep Ocean Water Application (DOWA) Project is the first in Africa with a high demonstration effect for other coastal cities on the continent. It consists of the construction and operation of a ground-breaking system that pumps cold water from the Indian Ocean and uses it for air conditioning purposes in building located mainly in the centre of Port-Louis and other nearby locations.
This project will help in the reduction of 40,000 tons in annual CO2 emissions and spur job creation for 40 skilled local engineers and technicians as well as create indirect jobs in downstream businesses such as aquaculture, pharmaceutical and bottling specialty water.
With the implementation of the DOWA project, buildings consuming an equivalent of 30 MW of electricity in traditional air conditioning systems will be replaced with a cold ocean-water cooling system requiring only 4 MW of electrical power, thus leaving 26 MW of electrical power for other purposes. This achievement will have a direct contribution to a greater generation reserve margin in a country that highly depends on fossil fuels and on the seasonal availability of hydro and bagasse cogeneration resources to ensure a reliable power supply.
The AfDB supports the project’s development phase by engaging actively with the promoter and other key partners with the vital objective of structuring a bankable project for long-term financing. On the other hand, SEFA will ensure the financing of marine surveys, preliminary designs and also a preliminary assessment of the environmental and social impacts of the project.
Alex Rugamba, director of the AfDB’s Energy, Environment and Climate Change Department, stated that this project is associated with the new strategy of AfDB which is to support African countries in their move to become more energy efficient and embrace inclusive growth models.
She also added that this innovative project will explore synergies between the ocean and the energy sector in Mauritius to deliver significant cost, energy and carbon savings and at the same time, spur job creation and new business opportunities.
CEO of Sotravic, Emmanuel André, expressed his satisfaction with SEFA which granted funding for the project.He stated that the entire DOWA team is proud to contribute again in the reduction of the country’s dependence on external sources of energy. He ended by thanking the AfDB for giving its support and the Government of Mauritius for creating the framework for the ocean economy.
Company Profile
Sotravic Ltd
Sotravic is one of Mauritius’s leading engineering, contracting and services companies. It has created employment, developed skills, applied technology and delivered infrastructure throughout Mauritius and Indian Ocean Islands.
Careful step by step expansion in both resources and experience has enabled Sotravic to become the market leader in Sewer and Water infrastructure, Waste and Landfill management, Geotechnical investigation and Renewable Energy solutions.
Today, the company focuses on its operations in 3 sectors namely water, energy and environment for both public and private sector clients.
Source: Company Website
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