Govt receives huge interest to address energy demand – Harmon

…GPL to meet businessman over wind turbine project

Addressing Guyana’s energy sufficiency is an important part of the Government’s agenda. The delegation headed to India for the Guyana-India Joint Commission and the Inter-Ministerial Consultations is expected to place special emphasis on solar energy possibilities, according to Minister of State Joseph Harmon.
Speaking at his post-Cabinet press briefing on Friday, Minister Harmon related that the Government has been receiving an influx of proposals for addressing Guyana’s energy demand, and he added that those proposals are being examined carefully.

“As recent as this week, I met with some representatives of a major company that deals with solar energy, and you will see in our delegation to India that there is an emphasis on solar energy, particularly in countries where you have a lot of sunshine,” he noted.
“This is an area which we are proceeding to examine carefully in addition to our reliance on hydro and wind.
Those are areas which we are paying careful attention to, because we believe that the energy sufficiency in this country is an important matter for us, not only for domestic consumption, but also for industrial use and for the development of this country,” Harmon added.
Additionally, Minister Harmon said there are a number of private energy projects, as he referred to the recent installation of a US$75,000 wind turbine by businessman Hareshnarine Sugrim at Line Path, Skeldon Corentyne.
The wind turbine is the first of its kind in Guyana, and Sugrim undertook the project to power his hotel. The turbine is expected to produce more power than needed, and the businessman is hoping that the Guyana Power and Light Company enters into an agreement to add it to the national grid.
Harmon noted that conversation between GPL and Sugrim is currently ongoing, and he said Government realizes that it has to move at a fast pace to address the energy needs.
“There’s a project on the Corentyne that is being done by a private businessman — this is the wind turbine. I understand that it is ready to be launched, and (would) provide more power than the operator requires for his own use, and I think he (is) now seeking some engagement with the Guyana Power and Light to see if some of that power can be added to the grid. That is the conversation that is ongoing,” Harmon noted.
Foreign Affair Minister Carl Greenidge is heading a delegation to India for a series of engagements from January 29 to February 3. The team includes Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman. While in India, Greenidge is expected to sign and ratify the Framework Agreement on the establishment of the International Solar Alliance, a platform through which sun-rich countries collectively address common challenges related to the use of solar energy. This will serve to advance Guyana’s efforts to establish a “Green Economy”, including through its renewable energy sector, as well as further solidify the bond between the two countries.