Caricom Energy Month 2024: Guyana making significant progress towards achieving 500MW of clean energy-PM

…rolling out of GtE, multiple hydropower & solar power projects

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is celebrating Energy Month 2024 during November and according to Prime Minister, (Ret’d) Brigadier Mark Phillips, who oversees the energy sector, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government is well on its way to developing 500 Megawatts (MW) of renewable energy.
In his message on the occasion of CARICOM Energy Month 2024, the Prime Minister expressed Guyana’s commitment to continued development of its energy grid and constantly innovating in the sector to keep pace with national needs and global energy trends.
“Our commitment is reflected in our signing of the Paris Agreement, which Guyana embraces through its Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030. The LCDS 2030 serves as a blueprint for preserving the country’s natural resources, while addressing the climate crisis and promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives.”
“Through the LCDS 2030, Guyana has moved to implement an Energy Supply Matrix, which will provide an energy mix that incorporates hydropower, solar, natural gas, and wind. This energy mix will lead to more than 500 megawatts of newly installed capacity for residential and commercial users and foster energy transformation,” he said.

The Prime Minister referenced several of these projects, such as the US$761 million Gas-to-Energy (GtE) Project which includes the construction of an Integrated Natural Gas Liquid (NGL) Plant and a 300-MW combined cycle power plant at Wales, West Bank Demerara (WBD), utilising natural gas from the country’s offshore operations in the Stabroek Block. The project is expected to not only provide cleaner energy but also cut the country’s high electricity costs by half.

Hydro
Other projects include plans for the development of two major hydropower projects, with the Prime Minister highlighting the well-known example of the 165-MW Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP).
The AFHP – a brainchild of the previous People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration, has been on the cards since 2011. However, the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance for Change (AFC) Opposition parties, having a one-seat majority in 2014, barred the project from becoming a reality.
But the PPP/C resurrected the project when they returned to office and back in December, four companies – Rialma S.A. (Grupo Rialma) from Brazil; China International Water & Elec. Corp; Lindsayca CH4 Guyana Inc, and a group made up of OEC, GE Vernova and Worley – had submitted tenders to be prequalified for the project.
According to the Prime Minister however, the Government is going further in that they plan to have an additional hydropower plant built in the near future… with a location to be settled on by next year.

And there are a number of smaller, hydropower projects that are already in the works, including two that are expected to be finished by this year end.
“To diversify its energy mix with the aim of providing reliable and affordable electricity, Guyana is also advancing several small hydropower projects, including the 0.7-megawatt plant at Moco Moco that will soon be online, and the 1.5-megawatt facility at Kumu, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo). Both projects will be fully operational by the end of 2024. There is also the construction of a 0.15-megawatt project at Kato, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni),” Phillips said.
Solar
He referenced other advances the Government has made, such as how it has advanced solar projects which has resulted in an installed capacity of 14.62 megawatts in 2023. There is also an initiative that has seen some customers ‘prosumers’ being able to sell back their excess energy into the national grid.
“These customers are required to sign a Standard Offer Contract (SOC) and they are paid 90 per cent of the tariff residential rate for the energy exported to the national grid,’ the Prime Minister explained.
The Government, under its Guyana Utility Scale Solar (GUYSOL) Photovoltaic (PV) Programme, has also embarked on installing a total of 33-MW of utility-scale solar PV farms across the country.
So far, 8-MW will be installed in Essequibo, 10 me-MW in Berbice and 15-MW in Linden. These projects, according to the Prime Minister, will help phase out the use of fossil fuels and contribute to climate change mitigation by reducing CO2 emissions.
“There will also be the installation of four (4) additional solar farms aside from the GUYSOL Programme. In 2022 a 1-megawatt solar farm was installed in Lethem, Region Nine, and in 2023 a 1.5-megawatt solar farm in Bartica, Region Seven,” he explained.
“Additionally, a 0.65-megawatt solar farm was recently completed at Mahdia, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), while a 0.60-megawatt solar PV plant is under construction at Leguan, along with a 0.75-megawatt solar plant at Wakenaam, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).”
Other major initiatives referenced by Phillips were the solar-powered mini-grids installed in hinterland communities, 30,000 Solar Home Energy Systems in remote hinterland and riverine communities, solar powered water treatment plants, the Government’s efforts to grow the electric vehicle (EV) industry and the LED Lighting Project.