WSHPDR_2013_Final_Report-updated_version

1.1.8 Réunion
Lara Esser and Laxmi Aggarwal, International Center on
Small Hydro Power
Key facts
Population 833,000 1
Area 2,512 km 2
Climate Tropical and humid. Warm and humid
season (November to- April), drier
season (May to October)
Topography Island with coast and mountain peaks in
the interior.
Rain
Pattern
The Austral summer is in January and
February, which is also the season for
tropical cyclones. The country is the
record holder for the highest rainfall
during 12-, 24-, 48- and 72-hours. 2
Electricity sector overview
Réunion island is an overseas department and
administrative region of France. Réunion has the goal to
reach 100 per cent of renewable electricity production
by 2030. 3 Electricity is provided by Électricité de France
(EDF). The total electricity production in 2008 was 2,546
GWh, from a mix of thermal and renewable sources,
with coal being the dominating energy source (figure 1).
Interestingly, the electricity production in 1982 relied
solely on hydropower. 4 Data in 2009 showed that
projects that generate electricity increased to 2,618
GWh, of which 67.5 per cent is from fossil fuels
(petroleum and coal) and 32.5 per cent from renewable
energy. 5 The breakdown of the various energy sources is
unavailable, hence this report projected the data from
2008 instead (figure 1). The average growth of
electricity production in Réunion had decreased from
5.3 per cent per year between 2000 and 2005 to 3.6 per
cent per year from 2006 to 2009 as a result of a demand
management program authorized in 2000 and an
increased use of costly fossil fuel. 5
Solar 0.41%
Municipal waste 0.52%
Wind 1.19%
Fuel oils
9.06%
Sugarcane, bagasse
10.21%
Hydropower
21.71%
Coal
56.90%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Figure 1 Electricity generation in Réunion
Source: Drouineau et al. 4
Note: Data from 2008, as data projections for 2009 do
not provide sufficient detailed breakdown of the
contribution of various energy sources.
Réunion has invested in a diverse range of renewable
energy sources but the most developed source is
hydropower as it was one of the first renewable sources
used on the island. 5
Small hydropower sector overview and potential
SHP installed
capacity
SHP potential
uknown
11 MW
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Figure 2 Small hydropower capacities in Réunion
Source: Grenelle de l’Environnement à la Réunion,
Réussir l’Innovation 6 , Forum for Energy and
Development 7
Hydropower is produced at Rivière de l’Est (78 MW),
Takamaka I (17 MW) and II (26 MW), Bras de la Plaine (5
MW) and Langevin (4 MW) power stations as well as
Bras des Lianes (2 MW). 4 7 Though the large- and smallhydropower
potential has been tapped, there still are a
number of potential sites, where micro hydropower
stations can be installed. 7
A technical report from 2008 indicated that there were
four run-of-river type stations with a total installed
capacity of 10.5 MW (62.65 GWh) and three stations
with a total capacity of 106.5 MW (550,000 GWh). 8
There is no pumped storage technology on the island.
Taking into consideration environmental issues, there
are several further categories for the realization of
hydropower potential, such as irrigation infrastructure.
Small hydropower potential in Réunion
(Megawatts)
Category of potential
Potential capacity
Difficult to realize 59.10
Under strict conditions 50.53
Normal 11.47
Total 121.10
Source: Comité de bassin de la Réunion 8
Note: Irrigation sites are not considered to be affected by
environmental issues.
Renewable energy policy
In 2000, the Regional Council of Réunion implemented
the Plan Régional des Énergies Renouvelables et de
l'Utilisation Rationnelle de l'Énergie (PRERURE) that
played as a precursor for the Grenelle de
l’Environnement à la Réunion – Réussir l’Innovation
(GERRI) project which has the objective to integrate
environmental innovation, mobility, energy and its uses,
urban planning, construction and tourism into society by
2030.
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