26 new solar-powered bus sheds equipped with charging ports for 2017

Soon you will be able to charge your mobile devices at bus sheds in and around the city as the Guyana Energy Agency move to implement charging ports and LED lights on the facilities.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO), GEA, Dr. Mahender Sharma said six solar-powered bus sheds which will be equipped with light-emitting diode (LED) lights and charging ports for mobile devices, will be constructed by the agency this year. This he said is in keeping with the Government’s commitments towards “greening” the economy.

One of the bus sheds will be installed very shortly to power the independence arch at Agricola as the CEO said: “we’re gonna do some enhanced lighting and the power for that will come from solar so we’re incorporating a bus shed to house the panels and also to provide a social good.”

Additionally, 64 Government buildings will be installed with solar photovoltaic (PV) systems.

To do this, Government has dedicated approximately $1B. The systems are projected to result in an annual saving of 1,200 barrels of oil equivalent per year and cost savings of about $140M per year.

The implementation of occupancy sensors (which turns on when someone enters the room and turns off as they exit) in the buildings will also follow to save energy.

Also to save energy, the Agency will continue the solar powered street lighting efforts to replace the street lighting sensors since it was disclosed

Dr. Sharma related that the agency will also continue efforts in researching and deploying energy efficient lighting technologies with the installation of 20 solar-powered street lights at Agatash, Bartica, 100 energy efficient LED street lights at Timehri Base Road and the purchase of 600 photosensors to replace defective units on existing street lights.

He said, “when the sensors get damaged, they leave the street lights on during the day (and) every street light that is left on for an additional 12 hours cost about $60,000 GY per year per street light”.

Sharma underlined that other successes from the GEA during 2016 include the agency completing energy consumptions assessments of 22 buildings and effected energy efficient lighting change-outs and installations at six schools.

The plan moving forward is to do a further complete 782 energy efficient lights in schools.