The first “Transit Homes” are available in the Seychelles. These are transit houses powered by solar energy, the purpose of which is to receive people affected by the disaster. They were recently inaugurated in the presence of the President of the Republic of Seychelles, Danny Faure. They are located in Grand Anse, one of the islands of the archipelago. The houses were built by Public Utilities Corporation (PUC).
“The facilities we have built will help families mitigate the impact of their electricity bills. We have installed a 3 kW unit on the roofs of three-bedroom homes; two-bedroom homes will have a 2 kW unit while one-bedroom homes will have 1 kW. This will reduce the impact of electricity bills on families and improve their lives,” says Philip Morin, PUC’s Executive Director.
A necessity for the archipelago…
PUC will provide a total of 700 housing units throughout the Seychelles Archipelago. Solar energy is an efficient source of energy that the government of this country off the Indian Ocean is working to promote. Due to the scattered nature of the islands, the authorities are relying on small solar power plants and home-based solar kits such as those installed in transit houses.
“PUC will also install photovoltaic systems on low-cost houses. In addition, the company will install a 1 MW unit on Romainville Island for use in eligible homes under the project,” said Philip Morin. On islands affected by bad weather, transit houses are very important. “In 2017, 25 cases of domestic fires and other disasters were reported; 21 incidents were reported in 2018; and 8 other incidents since the beginning of this year have been recorded. In all these cases, the presence of extended families made it more difficult for them to relocate,” explains Pamela Charlette, Seychelles’s Minister of Land Use Planning and Housing.
The 700-unit solar-powered housing project is funded by the Seychelles State, with the support of the Indian Government. New Delhi provided a $3.5 million grant.
Jean Marie Takouleu