A green town in Flic-en-Flac soon.
2020, Flic-en-Flac. Unless there is an incident, a green town will be completed to this deadline. Spread on 56, 5 hectares, surrounded by luxurious vegetation, we will find date centre, hotels, spa, aquaculture industry, commercial complex, residential area together. These projects are under the management of the Land-Bases Oceanic Industry (LBOI). The promoters, including the State Investment Corporation (SIC), are awaiting the development permits to start the first phase of the project. At this level, the promoters estimate that at least 2000 direct jobs will be created.
The LBOI includes the multiple uses of pumped sea water at 1000 m of depth. This water, rich in minerals, will be used to fuel different aquaculture farms. Due to its low temperature, the water acts as a refreshing agent.
Rs 5, 39 billion of investment
The first project’s phase comprises of two parts. The first step will be to develop the pumping and the distribution station. The construction of the date centres on 10000 square meters will be the second step. The sea water will be used to cool down the servers on a 24/7 basis, reducing the energy bill of 90%. This project, a unique concept in the data centre industry, gathered the attention of worldwide leaders.
“This part will be completed around mid-2011” states Henri Thompson, General Director of the Mauritius Land-Based Oceanic Park. His firm, Thompson Chalon & Associés, is the main partner of the project. It detains 75% of this new entity, the remaining belonging to the SIC.
The whole project presentation happened on Friday, at the Board of Investment. The investment for the initial phase goes up to Rs 5, 39 billion. An important part of this budget, i.e. Rs 4,5 billion, will be allocated to the construction of data centres.
“Those annex projects’ realization will take five to six years. There are approximately 200 sites. We are negotiating with the interested parties and multiplying the foreign presentations”, resumes Henri Thompson. “We are promoting this project at 100%”, He adds.
The promoters want to optimise their chances by creating partnerships with the best enterprises in this industry. Hence, the Makai Ocean Engineering firm, which developed similar projects: in Bahrein, in Honolulu and in Reunion Island, has been chosen for the realisation of the Sea Water Air Conditioning. Let’s recall that this firm, through a study realised by the Mauritius Research Council, recommended in 2007, the Flic-en-Flac spot.
GDF Suez, a French firm, has been approached to exploit the sea water which will be used to cool down the region’s building. GDF Suez, precursor of this technology, carried out the cooling of Le Louvre Museum and the Georges V hotel which is found on la Seine’s border, in Paris, France.
Strong South-African quota
The ecological element is in the heart of the development of those 56, 5 hectares. On one hand, the site will be surrounded by a forest, displaced during the installations. On the other, the road network between the buildings will include pedestrian crossings or paths for small electric cars. Regarding the enterprises willing to settle on a long term basis, Henri Thompson estimates that there will be a strong South African quota, as the electricity bill is increasing of 45% annually and the country is using 98% of its production capacity. The South-African enterprises hence privilege a neighbouring destination connected to the rest of the world which is, in addition, green.
Interview of Kamlesh Bhuckory
Source: L’Express dated 15/12/09
