Historically, the first locally produced energy was hydroelectric power, a green energy source. At Langevin and Rivière des Pluies, two plants began operating in the 1930s-40s. Takamaka followed in 1968. In 2024, hydroelectric power still represented 13.7% of total production despite an annual efficiency drop of 20% in recent years due to lack of rainfall and technical availability.

In the 1960s and 1970s, population growth pushed the island to develop coal and heavy fuel oil plants, which were imported from France. From 1999, the Réunion Region advocated for energy autonomy. This goal is now set for 2050. In 2017, 67% of the electricity mix still relied on fossil fuels. One-third of production came from renewables, mainly hydro and solar.

Today, the Region, Europe, and private actors aim for 100% green energy by 2030. This goal is nearly achieved, as 92.4% of the mix is already renewable. But renewable does not mean combustion-free. Production still depends on imports for 89.1% of its energy. Since 2024, the Port-Est plant (EDF) has imported rapeseed oil from Europe to operate a 212 MW capacity. This benefits local air quality as these new processes reduce CO2 emissions, but they increase emissions linked to maritime transport.

Biomass, Geothermal Energy, and Volcanic Island Research

In 1992, Albioma introduced biomass at Bois-Rouge and later at Gol, simultaneously solving agricultural waste issues from the two adjacent sugar mills of the same name. Bagasse, the fibrous residue from sugarcane, became a primary fuel, gradually replacing coal.

Today, the produced bagasse is no longer sufficient. Albioma imports 700,000 tons of pellets per year, mainly from Canada, Asia, and Australia, to run its plants. With the Giroflée project, they hope to source more locally using acacia, an invasive species, for around 100,000 tons. Another 70,000 tons of solid recovered fuel (SRF) from household waste could also be used as fuel in the future.

To meet growing energy needs, two geothermal exploration permits were granted for Salazie and Cilaos. Salazie appears promising, but 6 years of feasibility studies and at least €100 million in investments will be required.

Meanwhile, pumped-storage hydroelectric plants (STEPs) could use solar overproduction to pump seawater and store it at height on the mountains. This water would be released in the evening, when energy consumption rises, to drive two 25 MW turbines for several hours.

The Unstoppable Rise of Photovoltaics

It is impossible to imagine Réunion without its sunlight. In 2024, solar represented 10.1% of total electricity production. The goal of the latest Multi-Year Energy Plan (PPE) is to reach 40% by 2028. The first local PPE of 2016/2017 triggered a boom of new actors who wanted to seize this business opportunity. Today, about thirty companies such as Albioma, Total Énergie, Corsica Sole, Akuo, GreenYellow, and residential solar installers share the market.

Competition is fierce on a small island where land is highly sought after. While public funding has encouraged organizations lacking cash flow (or less convinced of the transition) to invest in low-carbon energy autonomy, the complexity of administrative procedures in France—whether jargon or bureaucracy—remains a frequent complaint. In Réunion, entrepreneurs are frustrated by the mismatch and obstacles.

“The S24 law adopted in 2024 simplified some formalities, but many hurdles remain for large-scale projects like solar farms or agrivoltaic plants to meet PPE targets,” notes Asma Patel, Director of GreenYellow.

To preserve public funds, GreenYellow developed an innovative business model. They finance, install, and operate solar plants on behalf of companies and municipalities.

“By giving us their unused surfaces, the company invests nothing and benefits from low-cost energy that can be self-consumed or fed back into the grid,” explains A. Patel. “We want solar to serve a useful purpose: our panels provide shade over airport Roland-Garros parking lots, and fragile vanilla plants are protected from the scorching sun while allowing farmers to earn additional income,” the young director adds.

The only downsides: panels are manufactured in Asia and shipped by boat. Additionally, the island’s topography makes installations expensive to make profitable. But the good news: in Réunion, everyone is determined to continue efforts toward green energy, regardless of what the winds bring.

Offshore Wind Energy

The offshore wind option was explored in the 2000s before being abandoned. Public authorities allowed its return in 2019, and two farms now produce 0.6% of the island’s electricity.

In February 2024, Akuo and BlueFloat Energy partnered, with the support of the Réunion Maritime Cluster and the Temergie pole, to launch a collective reflection on floating wind. Offshore winds offer a much more stable and efficient potential than onshore winds.

About twenty turbines deployed in deep waters off Sainte-Marie could produce nearly 25% of the island’s electricity consumption (around 525 GWh/year). Feasibility studies will take at least 2 years to analyze impacts on marine life, but experts agree that a surface solution would not only be less invasive for biodiversity but would also be more cyclone-resistant by using Japanese technology. The anticipated production cost could even result in a 20% savings on the energy bill.