GEA saves millions in 2015
Head of GEA Mahender Sharma
Head of GEA Mahender Sharma

AN estimated 4.96 million barrels (13,582 barrels per day) of petroleum were imported by the end of 2015 for an estimated total value of US$365.27 million, which represents an increase of 0.4 per cent and a decrease of 35.0 per cent, respectively when compared to 2014. The average cost per barrel of petroleum-based imports decreased from US$113.72 in 2014 to US$73.68 in 2015, a decrease of 35.2 per cent.
Additionally, a total of $8,242,550,625 (eight billion, two hundred and forty-two million, five hundred and fifty thousand, six hundred and twenty-five dollars) in fuel payment transactions for PDVSA (Petróleos de Venezuela) were facilitated by the GEA.
This is according to Head of the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) Mahender Sharma during his presentation yesterday at the Ministry of Public Infrastructure 2015 performance review and projection 2016 held at the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), High Street, Kingston.
Sharma also noted that for 2015, it was projected that GEA would have provided marking services for more than 350 parcels of imported fuel.
“There were 25 joint operations with members of the task force for the year. A total of 12,500 site visits would be conducted by the end of the year and indications are that illegal fuel was detected at less than 3% of the sites visited.
NINE CONVICTIONS
For the year 2015, the Fuel Marking Programme recorded nine convictions,” Sharma said.
“GEA is eagerly awaiting the Standards Council to approve the draft Petroleum Transportation Standards. It appears as if persons were able to tamper with and access the bulk marking injector installed at one of the terminals to pilfer small quantities of marker concentrate left inline after marking operations have been completed.”
In his presentation, Sharma said it is projected that the Licensing Division would have issued about 1,200 licences for 2015, inclusive of all categories of licences (Importing/Importing Wholesale/Wholesale, Export, Retail, Consumer Installation, Bulk Transportation Carriers and Storage).
In 2015, he noted, there was significant outreach across the country as a result of increased site inspections and field visits, with an estimated 850 sites visited for 2015.
Following the construction of the addition to GEA’s Head Office, he said, the Licensing Department was relocated, thereby facilitating a more customer-friendly environment and increased space for additional Licensing Officers in the upcoming year.
RESEARCH
Meanwhile, the GEA Head said engineers of the agency conducted research in a number of areas: hydropower, natural gas, vapour recovery systems, biomass, wood waste potential, energy potential from rice husk, gasification systems, refrigerant replacement, solar powered and energy efficient street lights.
GEA also conducted several visits to Bartica, which will soon be a town, based on government’s mandate to transform the area into a ‘Green Town’.
Energy assessments at government buildings and schools, with the aim of reducing energy consumption, examined the potential for roof top grid tie and standalone solar PV installations.
A survey for the installation of LED and solar street lighting was also carried out to assess the suitability of using both grid-powered LED and standalone solar street lights where applicable. GEA also identified a suitable location to conduct wind measurement and is currently awaiting the relevant approval to install a wind mast.
The GEA through competitive bidding, procured a 10 kWp solar PV system which will be installed at the agency’s head office in the first quarter of 2016. This will result in additional annual savings of $920,000 and the avoidance of carbon dioxide emissions of 8.8 tonnes annually.
During 2015, GEA installed 11 energy efficient LED solar-powered street lights, bringing the total number of installed solar-powered street lights to 13 and resulting in annual savings of about $800,000 per year. GEA repaired and rehabilitated a total of 1.655 kW of solar PV equipment at four schools,” Sharma said.
Further, he said GEA engineers and the Ministry of Public Infrastructure replaced 37 high pressure sodium vapour (HPSV) street lamps rated at 250 watts with energy efficient induction lamps rated at 120 watts.
It is estimated that $1,173,000 would be saved annually and 14.7 tons of CO2 emissions would be avoided. Ten energy efficient LED street lamps rated at 80 watts, 100 watts and 120 watts replaced 10 x 250 watts high pressure sodium lamps. Sixty-five x 100 watts LED street lamps were procured as part of the agency’s ongoing effort to promote energy efficient street lighting and replace existing 250 watts HPSV street lamps. It is estimated that $1,468,000 would be saved annually.
“With support from the Work Services Group, a total of 300 defective photo-sensors on street lights were replaced as part of GEA’s efforts to conserve energy, translating into annual energy savings of about $18.2 million.
Meanwhile, GEA completed Energy Consumption Assessments of 70 buildings in the last three years along with the change-out of inefficient lighting at 28 buildings, the GEA head noted.
By Rabindra Rooplall

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