-residents upbeat

AS GOVERNMENT prepares to construct Guyana’s first solar farm at Mabaruma in the North West District this year, four acres of land have been identified for the ambitious 400-megawatt project.
In December, Finance Minister Winston Jordan had announced during his 2017 budget presentation that, when operational, the solar farm would afford an additional 17 hours of electricity to the 3,000 residents of Mabaruma.

Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region One, Leslie Wilburg, told the Guyana Chronicle on Tuesday that the $264M project’s location has been identified. He said the four acres of land for the project has been set aside in an area known as the “Khan Hills.” He added that the terrain of the area was one of the factors tied to the location’s selection.

According to reports from Region One, the current power station at Mabaruma will also be relocated to the site when the solar project moves on stream. Over the past several months, solar power has been gaining the attention of the business community at Mabaruma . At the moment, telecommunications giant Digicel operates two photovoltaic power stations (another term for solar farm) in the Mabaruma sub-region. Two antennas operated by the company at the Barabina Hill community and at Hosororo Hill are fully solar-powered.

Mabaruma residents told this publication on Tuesday that the project will provide a major relief to consumers as many anticipate it will lead to the electricity grid being operational 24/7. At the moment, households in the area receive electricity at two intervals daily, from 1700hrs to 2200hrs and in the mornings from 05:00hrs until 08:00hrs, except on some holidays.

The Government Information Agency (GINA) reported that consultations on the project have been held with investors, power companies, energy agencies and firms along with other key stakeholders. Before its implementation, additional consultations will be held with residents of Region One.

In December, Minister Jordan had also announced that investors and other persons involved in direct importation of items for energy efficiency, as well as those investing in water-treatment plants and other facilities can benefit from tax exemptions.

Plans are also on the cards to build an 800-kilowatt solar system at Lethem, 400 kilowatts at Mahdia, and 1.5 megawatts at Bartica.

Over the past months, several businesses across the country have been adopting the use of solar power at their places of business. These include the Berbice-based rice and telecommunications entity, Nand Persaud and Company Limited; the Eureka Medical Laboratory and more recently, the Demerara Bank Limited, which unveiled its fully solar-powered system at the bank’s Camp Street headquarters.

Since assuming office, the government has been pursuing a “green state” agenda. In his New Year message several days ago, President David Granger noted that solar energy systems will be installed in more public buildings and in hinterland communities across the country, as the authorities continue to convert the country to renewable energy use. The development of renewable sources of electricity generation including bio-mass, hydro-, solar- and wind-power will provide employment for thousands of skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled persons, the President said.