Engineers of the Guyana Energy Agency conducting installations at one of the schools
– hinterland, riverine schools to benefit from solar power systems
The Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) has joined in the country’s “green initiative” and has installed solar power systems to four schools in the hinterland communities, including the 58 Miles Primary School, along the Mabura Road in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice); Abrams Creek Primary School, Warapana River in Pomeroon-Supenaam, Region Two; Dredge Creek Primary School also in Region Two; and Hackney Primary School, Pomeroon River, Region Two. The project was executed to a tune of $2 million.
GEA Engineer Leon DeSouza disclosed: “A total of 300 students and teachers combined will benefit from the installations and… all installations were done in accordance with the National Electric Code. Additionally, teachers at each school were trained to operate and monitor the systems.”
The GEA on Thursday stated through a release that at 58 Miles Primary School, which has a population of 43 students, the engineers oversaw the installation of a solar photovoltaic system with a 140 watt (W) solar panel, a 10 amp charge controller, a 200 amp-hour battery and a 600 watt pure sine wave inverter.
Headteacher Thompson (only name given), acknowledged that the school has electricity for the first time and pointed to the fact that her pupils were previously disadvantaged since they could not access the Education Ministry’s Interactive Radio Instruction (IRI) programme.
Meanwhile, Abrams Creek Primary School, with 57 students, has a system which is expected to produce “213 kWh of energy annually, while the lamps are expected to consume 88 kWh of energy annually if operated for eight hours per day for 365 days.” The GEA engineers constructed the system in such a way that the remaining energy will supply the IRI equipment, a television set and a laptop computer. These students will also have access to the Ministry’s IRI programme.
It was explained that the Dredge Creek Primary with its 90-student population which has never had electricity; its system is expected to produce 426 kWh of energy annually.
“The lamps are expected to consume 88 kWh of energy annually if operated for eight hours per day for 365 days, and the remaining energy will supply the IRI equipment, including a television set, two small fans and a desktop computer with a small printer,” the GEA explained.
Meanwhile, Hackney Primary School previously had a solar power system which provided electricity from 2008-2011, but its system had become defunct. Headteacher Verna Jack explained that the batteries were the first components that were damaged, followed by the charge controller due to a short circuit of the electric cables.
The GEA continues to be propelled by the vision of ensuring that reliable energy is provided to all in Guyana within an economically, environmentally and socially sustainable framework; with increasing consideration of renewable energy sources. The Energy Agency will continue to facilitate such interventions as part of its community outreach with the aim of aiding in the realisation of a green Guyana.
