Gov’t buildings, schools being equipped with solar panels

Nine public schools and three government buildings are already equipped with solar panels with a total generation capacity of 178.5-kilowatt peak (kWp), as the government prepares to install more panels in at least 55 more buildings.

According to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, the public buildings which have already benefitted from solar energy are State House; Ministry of Finance; the Guyana School of Agriculture; the Stewartville Secondary School; the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Scholarship Hostel, Liliendaal; Hope Secondary School; Richard Ishmael Secondary School; West Demerara Secondary School; Diamond Secondary School; Leonora Secondary; Bladen Hall Secondary School; Leguan Secondary School and the National Library.

The Ministry added that a contract has been awarded for the supply and installation of Solar PV Systems at 55 Government Buildings totalling 740kWp.

It further noted that, based on savings, a new tender is currently being advertised for the supply and installation of solar PV systems to be installed at an additional 18 Buildings with 382kWpof new solar PV systems.

Additionally, the Ministry said tenders are currently being processed for the supply and installation of solar PV systems at State House (additional 22kWp with storage), Ministry of the Presidency (130kWp), Hydomet (6kWp), NAREI (5 buildings totaling 16kWp with battery storage), St. Cuthbert’s Mission (primary School, village benab, health centre and Doctor’s quarters totaling 4.5kWp with storage and energy efficient lights), Ministry of Health (Malaria buildings at Sand Creek and Karasabai and Kamarang totaling 0.42kWp with storage and LED lights), Anna Regina Town Hall (12 kWp), Corriverton Town Hall (8 kWp), Rose Hall Town Hall (6 kWp), Bartica Town Hall (10 kWp), Bartica Community Centre Ground (6kWp), New Amsterdam Town Hall (12 kWp), Linden Town Hall (25kWp), Orealla Community Radio Station (2.5kWp) and Aishalton Community Radio Station (4kWp).

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Energy Agency, Dr Mahender Sharma, indicated that apart from reduced energy costs and avoidance of greenhouse gas emissions, the installations will raise awareness among stakeholders about the applicability and functionality of renewable energy.

Energy Engineer of the GEA, Leon DeSouza explained that the majority of the systems will be grid connected “….which means that they will be generating electricity for both internal consumption while the excess energy will be supplied to the national electricity grid…”

He further added that “the project will also seek to demonstrate the applicability of photovoltaic system operation and its energy contribution in Guyana”.

According to the statement, the solar PV systems installations to be supervised by GEA will total 2.76MW in 2017 alone. The statement said the combined installed solar PV will be an unprecedented 3.152 MWp which will produce an estimated 4,576,610 kWh of energy annually which will result in over G$269 million dollars in annual savings and result in avoided carbon dioxide emissions of 4,347 tons.