100MW of solar power will be integrated into grid this year – Jagdeo

– assures hydro, solar will play key roles in Guyana’s future energy mix

Providing assurances that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government will be making solar and hydropower important parts of Guyana’s energy mix, Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has revealed that for this year, the Government is targeting the addition of 100 Megawatts (MW) of solar power.
The Vice President was at the time addressing youths during a segment of the Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo (GECSCE) at the Marriott Hotel on Friday. During the session, he was asked about Guyana’s renewable energy policy.
“Right now, we’re working at getting the Gas to Energy (GtE) Project going. When that project is completed, we will cut electricity prices by 50 per cent. It is a transitional fuel, because right now we’re generating all of our power from diesel and bunker C.” he disclosed.

“So even with that facility, we’ll cut our emissions by 45 per cent. And if you read the LCDS (Low Carbon Development Strategy), you will see we have an energy mix for the future. It includes gas, so we’ll build the gas facility, it includes hydropower and it includes solar,” the VP added.
Jagdeo assured that this year, about 100 MW of solar will be added to the grid. He noted that already, 35 MW have been added through a programme funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
However, Jagdeo also noted the hurdles that come with seeking to integrate renewable energy in a way that will have it replace existing baseload energy sources.
“Renewable energy, particularly wind and solar, they’re not baseload. They’re just energy. So what happens is if the sun doesn’t shine for a particular period, you don’t (have power) unless you have batteries. You’re at the mercy of the elements. Same thing with wind. It could slow down and then you have to have fossil fuel kick in.”
“I don’t think integration is a major hurdle now. But simply, there’s this mistaken view you can use it to supplant baseload, and until batteries become cheap enough to allow solar energy to come in as baseload constant, and becomes ₵5 or ₵6 per kilowatt hour (kWh), then you can’t displace energy produced from the gas,” Jagdeo explained.
Only on Thursday, it had been announced by Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips during the expo that as part of Guyana’s transition to renewable energy, a 450-kilowatt (kW) wind turbine farm will be developed at Leguan to meet the Essequibo River island’s growing power demand in a sustainable manner.
He disclosed that several utility-scale solar power projects, amounting to some 34.5 MW of solar capacity, are being developed in communities along the coastland. Among those areas is the island of Leguan in the Essequibo River, which will not only benefit from a mini solar grid this year but also a wind farm.
“The Leguan 0.6-megawatt solar farm, to be commissioned in 2025, will generate approximately 800 megawatt hours of renewable energy annually, and be complemented by a 450-kilowatt wind turbine farm, ensuring 70 per cent of the island’s power demand is met sustainably,” PM Phillips noted.
The development of this 450 kW peak wind farm at Leguan was announced by Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh during his 2025 Budget presentation in January, as one of the renewable energy initiatives to be undertaken this year as part of plans to diversify the country’s energy sources. The wind farm at Leguan is expected to generate approximately 620 MWh annually, he had said.
Back in May 2024, Head of the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), Dr Mahender Sharma, had told a meeting of the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Economic Services that Government was actively studying the wind potential in the country, to decide on possible investments in this source of renewable energy.