ENERGY MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES IN A SMALL ISLAND ECONOMY: THE CASE OF MAURITIUS

Energy Management, in the context of small island economies depending heavily on imported fossil fuels, is here analyzed. Mauritius, vulnerable also in terms of high population density and fragile ecosystems, is the focus of a national project called Maurice Ile Durable (MID or Mauritius Sustainable Island). The economic development over the past decade has been significant in the country and the national income tends to continue increasing. However, the supply, distribution and utilization of energy are critical issues for the future of the country. In this context, the challenges of Energy Management are found to be particularly of a politico-economic nature. Solutions are proposed towards overcoming the obstacles identified in order to achieve defined objectives.