Will Guyana's largest solar project benefit thousands of Guyanese?

Following the signing of an agreement among Guyana, the Kingdom of Norway and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the reality of Guyana’s goal to transition to renewable energy is now even closer. In fact, these three parties on Wednesday signed an agreement to finance Guyana’s largest solar project set to benefit thousands of Guyanese.

How many solar PV farms will Guyana have?

Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) is preparing plans for three utility-scale solar PV farms totaling 30 MW for the national grid in the long term, as well as a 0.75 MW Solar PV Farm at Wakenaam and a 4 MW Solar PV Farm at Onverwagt in the near future.

How is solar energy used in Guyana?

In Guyana, solar energy is used for several purposes, such as drying agricultural produce and irrigation, ICT, and to improve electricity access in rural areas. Under the Hinterland Electrification Programme, over 19,000 solar PV systems had been installed in nearly 200 communities by 2018.

What is the Guyana utility-scale solar photovoltaic programme?

The Guyana Utility-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Programme (GGUYSOL) will invest in eight utility-scale, photovoltaic solar projects totalling 33MWp, with associated 34MWh energy storage systems distributed across three areas in Guyana. The programme will be implemented by Guyana and the IDB.

Is Guyana a good place to install solar PV?

Most locations across Guyana have excellent solar insolation levels and are ideal for solar PV generation. As of 2018, the total installed capacity for Solar PV in Guyana is 4.63 MW, with an estimated annual generation of 7.16 GWh.

What is Guyana's Energy Future?

Under this national advancement plan, Guyana looks to complement the grid with other forms of clean and renewable energy – namely natural gas, hydropower, wind power and even biomass. It is anticipated that by 2030, 70% of Guyana’s energy mix will be supplied through green energy.