AS Guyana accelerates its plan to transition to renewable energy, investors, solar companies and other interested partners were exposed to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) – a unique global platform designed to respond to climate change by investing in low-emission and climate-resilient development.

Through the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), Guyana accessed funding from GCF in February 2019, to launch a project titled “Enhancing Guyana’s Access to GCF to Transition to Renewable Energy.”

A forum, on Thursday at the Pegasus Hotel, formed part of the ‘Enhancing Guyana’s Access to GCF to Transition to Renewable Energy” project. It was organised by the Department of Environment, Ministry of the Presidency in collaboration with GGGI.

In her remarks, Director of the Department of the Environment, Ndibi Schwiers, explained that the readiness support project entails the development of a project pipeline for utility scale renewable energy projects and preparation of at least two concept notes, which will go forward for funding. As such, the forum was designed to share valuable information on avenues to be taken to access finance through GCF Private Sector Facility.

Schwiers said the government will continue to work with the Private Sector to facilitate the country’s successful transition to a Green Economy in keeping with the Green State Development Strategy: Vision 2040. “Through this strategy, Guyana is expected to transition to 63 per cent of renewable energy and shift to a low-carbon emissions transport sector among other strategic actions,” the Director of the Environment said while underscoring the need for partnership in achieving this vision.

Guyana is one of the founding members of GGGI – an organisation that is dedicated to supporting its member countries and partners to transition to a ‘green’ economy by providing technical assistance and knowledge transfer in areas such as ‘green’ investment, ‘green’ growth policy and plans, access to sustainable services and ‘green’ business solutions.

Here in Guyana, the Department of Environment serves as a focal point for the global organisation. GGGI is presently working with both the public and private sector to provide technical support for the energy sector. From the government side, the institution is working directly with the Ministry of the Presidency inclusive of the Department of Environment and Office of Climate Change; and the Ministry of Public Infrastructure for which Guyana Energy Agency, Guyana Power and Light Company and the Hinterland Electrification Company form part of.

The Director of the Department of the Environment detailed that in 2018, GGGI executed the “Urban Sector Solar Energy Programme,” which created the conditions necessary to scale-up distributed solar PV technology in Guyana.

“The USSEP’s primary objective was to target off-grid commercial and industrial companies who have an interest in replacing their diesel generation, improve reliability and quality, and reduce the cost of electricity services,” Schwiers explained. That project was executed within a period of seven months from February 26 to September 20, 2018.

Under USSEP, a total of 44 companies were visited, while technical and economic analyses were done for some 34 companies. “The output of this project saw the creation of a project pipeline of 14MWp of potential solar ‘rooftop’ PV,” she reported.

Added to that, GGGI provided technical support to the government by providing technical and economic analysis of Renewable Energy Solutions for six sites in Linden, Anna Regina, Bartica, Lethem, Wakenaam and Leguan. Additionally, pre-feasibility analyses of Renewable Energy Technology for Linden and Wakenaan were done.

GGGI Consultants, David Fernandez, Catherine Allinson and Sudha Gollapudi, have been providing much-needed support to the Department of the Environment. On Thursday, they engaged investors on the GGGI and the GCF.