October 7, 2026 Westimmo

Eco-Friendly Homes in Mauritius: Solar, Rainwater and Standards in 2026

A 25% solar grant capped at Rs 75,000, Rs 4.83 per kWh buy-back, MRA deductions and the Green Building Code: what makes a home truly green in Mauritius.

In Mauritius, an eco-friendly home is judged by its equipment and its contracts, not by a label. Solar power is where the money is. Since the scheme launched on 25 July 2026, the government pays 25% of a household solar PV system, capped at Rs 75,000 per application, and the CEB buys back exported electricity at Rs 4.83 per kWh. The 2026-2027 Budget also announces a Green Building Code, but as far as we know no published regulation sets out its content yet.

What the government pays for solar in 2026

The 2026-2027 Budget gives eligible households a grant of 25% of the cost of a rooftop solar PV system, up to Rs 75,000 per application. You reach the cap at Rs 300,000 of eligible cost; anything above that is yours to pay. Rs 270 million has been voted for 2026-2027 under the Climate and Sustainability Fund.

The Central Electricity Board (CEB) and the Development Bank of Mauritius (DBM) run the grant together. The DBM sets the detailed conditions and also offers a concessionary loan for the balance. You apply for the grant online through the DBM, and you register for the grid-connection scheme at a CEB Customer Services Centre.

To register with the CEB you must be a domestic customer. Bring your ID card or passport, the title deed (or lease), a recent electricity bill, and sign the connection agreement. A non-refundable processing fee of Rs 2,000 is charged to your electricity account. The CEB will not consider a customer who is in a dispute with it, or who already runs a renewable energy installation on the same account, until that is settled.

Net-metering or gross-metering: two ways to be paid

The 2026 scheme merges the original 2015 net-metering scheme with the 2021 household programme. You choose between two metering modes.

The two metering modes of the CEB household scheme (leaflet revised July 2026)
Mode	How it works	Value
Gross-metering	All the energy your system produces counts as exported to the grid	Rs 4.83 per kWh, credited to your electricity account each month
Net-metering (tariff 150A_NM)	Energy imported from the CEB is offset against energy you export	No solidarity contribution up to 500 kWh of monthly consumption; Rs 0.82 per offset kWh from 501 to 1,000 kWh; Rs 1.63 above that. Net surplus exported is credited at Rs 3.00 per kWh

Under gross-metering, 100 kWh produced in a month earns a credit of Rs 483. Under net-metering, every kWh you produce and use at home saves you buying one from the CEB, which is worth more than Rs 4.83 once your consumption reaches the higher tariff bands. The net-metering tariff also waives, until further notice, the Rs 163 charge per installed kW.

Residents of an IRS or RES estate are not on tariff 150A_NM but on a time-of-use tariff (150D). The leaflet gives its typical structure: Rs 12.78 per kWh by day, Rs 18.94 in the evening and Rs 12.24 at night, plus Rs 2.61 per offset kWh, Rs 163 per installed kW and a Rs 1.63 solidarity contribution. These figures are stated as subject to approval by the Utility Regulatory Authority, so treat them as indicative.

Battery, capacity, grid connection: the limits

Above 3.5 kWac, the system must include battery storage able to power the home for at least three hours in the evening. Below that, a grid-connected system without a battery is still possible. The scheme allows up to 50 kW installed, but export to the grid cannot exceed 5 kWac per phase, and exports above 5 kWac require a three-phase supply.

You can install after registering as long as exports stay within 10 kWac. Above 10 kWac, the CEB first carries out a network survey and issues a letter of intent. When the work is finished, you hand in the description of the installation, the installation certificate signed by a qualified installer and the as-built diagram. The CEB then inspects, and you have one week to carry out any corrections it asks for.

The CEB advises against oversizing: size the system on your actual consumption. It also recommends paying for the equipment only once the connection agreement is signed and the permits are in place. An installation modified without the CEB’s prior approval is disconnected from the grid.

Tax deductions: solar and rainwater

The MRA lists two deductions relevant to an eco-friendly home. The Solar Energy Investment Allowance lets a taxpayer deduct the total amount invested in a solar energy unit during the income year. The Rainwater Harvesting Investment Allowance lets you deduct what you invest in a rainwater harvesting system during the income year ending 30 June 2027 from your net income. In both cases, a couple where neither spouse is a dependant can split the deduction between them.

The MRA page states no cap for either deduction, and it does not say what the saving is worth. A deduction only reduces your tax if you have taxable income in Mauritius, and its value depends on your tax band. A foreign buyer who pays no tax in Mauritius gains nothing from it. Whether you can combine it with the 25% grant is not stated on the official pages, so ask the MRA before you invest. Our guide to property taxes for owners in Mauritius covers the rest of an owner’s tax position.

The Green Building Code: announced, not confirmed

In the 2026-2027 Budget Speech, the section on construction says buildings should work as power producers as well as power users, and that the relevant legislation is being amended to enforce a Green Building Code. As far as we know, no published text yet sets its content, scope or start date for a single house. Until a regulation is published, a seller or developer who talks about “green standards” cannot point you to a precise legal requirement. Ask for the document, not the sales pitch.

Buying a house that already has solar: what to ask for

Panels only add value if the paperwork is in order. Ask for the signed CEB connection agreement, the installation certificate, the equipment invoice with warranties, and recent electricity bills showing the credits. Under the 2026 scheme, a customer who already runs an installation on the same account is not accepted until the old agreement is terminated or amended, so if you plan to add panels or a battery, check with the CEB before you sign. Where the installation is in a third party’s name, the CEB requires written consent from the account holder.

Think about insurance too, because panels are exposed to cyclones. See how to insure a villa in Mauritius against cyclones and water damage and check that the installation is listed on the policy. For an older property, the compliance steps are set out in our article on buying an existing house.

New builds, IRS/RES and Smart City: what changes

A new development can include solar from the design stage, but nothing requires it. Ask for the installed capacity, whether there is a battery, and which metering mode is planned. A property in an IRS or RES estate falls under the time-of-use tariff 150D, which changes the payback calculation compared with a household on the domestic tariff. Current developments are listed on our new programmes in Mauritius page, and for districts planned as smart cities see our guide to Smart City Mauritius.

What a green home is worth at resale

As far as we know, no official source puts a figure on any price premium for homes with solar or rainwater harvesting, and quoting one would mislead you. What you can calculate is the cost you avoid. The annual running cost of a villa shows that electricity, with air conditioning and the pool pump, is one of the heaviest items. A system sized to your consumption cuts it, and the connection contract runs for 20 years of monthly offsetting. For reference purchase prices, see our property prices in Mauritius page.

Sources and checks

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