–Patterson assures NY confab of Guyana’s readiness to go fully ‘green’

By Ariana Gordon in New York
SOLAR farms and other sources of renewable energy will soon be used by the Guyana Power and Light Incorporated (GPL) in its ongoing effort to phase out fossil fuels.Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson on Friday at the ‘Guyana Means Business’ Investment conference held at the Harvard Club of New York said that existing thermal generators will become redundant, and will be replaced with renewable energy sources.
Patterson was speaking as a panellist during the first session of the conference titled, ‘The Investment Landscape: Opportunities abound in Guyana’.
He informed the meeting that Guyana has been shortlisted by the United Arab Emirates’ International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) for a concessional loan, which will be used to construct a seven-megawatt solar farm.
He said, too, that a five-megawatt solar power farm will be installed in West Berbice to replace the 4.6 megawatt fossil-fuel driven generator at Onverwagt.
And with the Wartsila generators at Land of Canaan near the end of their lifespans, they too will be replaced with renewable energy sources.
A one-megawatt solar farm is also slated for Bartica, an eight-megawatt one for Lethem, and four-megawatt one for Mahdia. Mabaruma and Port Kaituma will also benefit from the installation of a solar farm in their respective communities, Patterson stated.
GPL, according to the minister, has a total capacity of 131 megawatts, with a total demand of 110 megawatts at peak hours.
Private entities, he said, account for the generation of some 60 to 70 megawatts of electricity.
He told the New York confab that come tomorrow, he is expected to receive the final report of a study on Guyana’s power-generation needs up to 2035.
The government, over the last two months, has been updating its energy policy to bring it into conformity with a ‘green’ economy.
Meanwhile, in presenting a brief overview of his sector, Patterson said G$31B has been budgeted for his ministry for infrastructural work, and for the energy sector.
Of that sum, $23B has been earmarked for infrastructural work, while the remaining $8B will be used in the energy sector.
He explained that the largest project under his belt is the 4th Road Project which stands at $44M, and will see rehabilitation work being undertaken by the Guyana Government with financial assistance from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
The project at reference includes the improvement of approximately 30.7km of road on the West Coast Demerara Road, from Vreed-en-Hoop to Hydronie, coupled with road safety awareness and capacity-building progammes.
Patterson announced that many projects are in the pipeline, and said that he has accessed £107M, of which £50M is a grant under the United Kingdom’s Department For International Development (DFID) programme that is being administered by the CDB.
The CDB has also agreed to lend the equivalent, thereby affording Guyana additional financing.
“We have a grant, plus a concessional funding,” the minister said, adding: “I have already submitted a full suite of proposed projects for that.”
Additionally, Minister Patterson told investors gathered at the Harvard Club that his ministry is working to have several waterfronts developed. He made specific mention of the Georgetown Sea Wall, that is the 4.5km stretch of road between Kingston and Vlissengen Road. Expressions of Interest have already been put out, and are currently being assessed. He said, too, that the Skeldon and Supenaam waterfronts will also be developed. “We have already submitted our funding request, and it is being evaluated.”
He said that as part of the rehabilitation of roads and bridges, the Linden-Lethem Road, a major transit point, will be upgraded, but he noted that the first part of the gateway to Guyana’s pristine hinterland is to have the Wismar Bridge, located in Linden, Region 10, rehabilitated. As such, he has submitted a request for funding and a US$10M financing is being considered.
That aside, he said the Ministry of Public Infrastructure has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Georgetown City Council to redo the Stabroek Market wharf. That wharf will be linked to the Transport and Harbours wharves where ferries will be docked, the minister added.