GEA launches video competition as part of Energy Month activities

The Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), as part of its Energy Month observances this year, has launched a video competition for secondary school students in Guyana to make a case to promote renewable energy development and reduce the carbon footprint within their respective schools.

Under the theme ‘My Green School’, the competition targets students of Forms One to Six (Grade Seven to Twelve) and was organised in an effort to sensitise youths at a secondary school level on energy use, environmental issues and sustainable development, as well as encourage learning in a creative format.

Inspired by the vision of the GEA, the students’ video should make a case to promote renewable energy development and reduce the carbon footprint within schools. Renewable energy and energy efficiency offers the greatest scope for reducing Guyana’s dependence on fossil fuels, diversifying the energy mix and attaining energy security.

Recognising the importance of wider uses and exploration of cleaner renewable sources of energy, especially given the fact that Guyana possesses great potential in renewable energy sources, The GEA decided that in addition to first, second, and third place winners being awarded prizes, the school of the winning entry will be the recipient of a solar photovoltaic system or suitable energy efficiency technologies for a value of approximately $2 million.

The deadline for the submission of entries is September 16, 2016 at 15:00h. The guidelines and additional information for the competition can be obtained from GEA’s website www.gea.gov.gy.

The observance of Energy Month serves to provide an additional platform that assists in fulfilling part of the mandate of the GEA by allowing “us to disseminate information essential to improving public awareness on sustainable energy, conservation and overall efficiency. The overarching objective being to ‘empower’ Guyana’s youths and citizens as a whole such that behavioural changes can occur thereby aiding in the country’s sustainable development and the realization of the vision of a ‘Green Guyana’.”

Caricom Energy Week (CEW) is an annual feature that is celebrated simultaneously across the Caribbean by Caricom member states. This year, a decision was made by Caricom to have the entire month of November labelled ‘Energy Month’. Hence, going forward CEW will now be CEM-Caricom Energy Month.