Seychelles to work with India on joint biofuels project, says minister

India and Seychelles will conduct a joint project for the introduction of biofuels in the island country in the coming year, Seychelles' Minister of Energy, Climate Change and Agriculture Flavien P Joubert told Business Standard on the sidelines of the 2024 India Energy Week here.

While Seychelles joined the India-led Global Biofuel Alliance last year, it has yet to begin using the alternative fuel.

"We will have to do an assessment, and make sure the project comes out positive, on an economic note. We will decide whether to import biofuel or produce it from waste products on a national level," Joubert said.

The country is keen on compressed biogas technology, which is expected to help with the waste problem. A total of 40 per cent of the waste in Seychelles is green waste which can be utilised. Business Standard reported last year that African nations were keen to replicate India's ethanol blending and biogas initiatives. Delegations from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda were expected to visit India in December, but the visit was postponed.

Oil exploration

Seychelles is also keen on attracting foreign companies for exploration. The country has had discussions with Indian companies for the exploration of oil and gas deposits.

Indian companies have been in touch with Petro Seychelles, the country's state-owned oil company, the minister said.

"From our point of view, the big question is who is going to fund our energy transition. For us, oil installation could be a source of income for the country since we do not have many resources. Exploration started years ago and is still continuing. There hasn't been any campaign recently but we expect the companies to come back and carry on since there are blocks in the Sey Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) that are going to be explored," the minister said.

Mostly consisting of shallow water, up to 50 meters in depth, Seychelles' EEZ spans 1.35 million square kilometres.

The country has already cleared all necessary licences and made geographic data available, Joubert said.

India and Seychelles have enjoyed cordial ties since bilateral relations were established in 1976. The country is of strategic importance to India as it lies close to global shipping and commerce lanes and is an important base in the fight against sea-borne terrorism and piracy in the Indian Ocean Region.