India backs Guyana ‘Green’ State agenda
India’s High Commissioner to Guyana Dr K. Srinivasa
India’s High Commissioner to Guyana Dr K. Srinivasa

– looks forward to greater collaboration in renewable energy sector

EVEN with oil production set to form a major part of Guyana’s economy, the country has its eyes set on becoming a “green” state, and India’s High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr. K. Srinivasa, believes that the country will be able to strike a balance in the coming years.

During his appearance on Guyana Chronicle’s Vantage Point, Dr. Srinivasa said India understands Guyana’s intention as the country of 1.3 billion people, over the years, has consciously adopted a strategy to move away from fossil fuels to “green” energy.

India is an energy-deficient country and to meet its needs must import some 80 per cent of its energy, most of which comes in the form of petroleum.

The high commissioner explained that moving towards “green,” renewable energy is a “double advantage” for India as it not only reduces the country’s energy-import bill, but it also puts the country on a better environmental footing.

Looking to Guyana, Dr Srinivasa said that this transformation is very much possible as the country is bountiful when it comes to renewable resources and can use its coming wealth to boost its “Green” State Development Strategy (GSDS).

“With copious amounts of sunshine available and your hydro resources, which are actually all renewable energy resources, I think the shift can happen and, of course, with the oil revenues you can also shift towards that particular sector,” he said.

Additionally, he noted that with Guyana’s Department of Energy is making preparations to get natural gas on shore by 2023, Guyanese would have access to one of the cleanest forms of energy.

The high commissioner stated: “Natural gas is one of the cleanest sources of energy, so I think you can strike that balance, there is no issue with that.”

Guyana and India have partnered and continue to cooperate in the area of renewable energy; Dr Srinivasa expects that these interactions will grow to be much more significant in the coming years.

One area in which India is aiding is the provision of short-term scholarships in over 1,250 courses through the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme.

When Dr Srinivasa came to Guyana, the slots available to Guyanese stood at 24, but through discussions these were increased to 50 Guyanese per year, and the Indian High Commission continues to encourage eligible persons to apply.

The high commissioner noted, that while the energy and technology courses would be ideal for Guyanese, given their future, the courses cover a wide range of sectors.

“You [Guyana] are expecting great dividends from the energy sector. We have offered to the Government of Guyana that we are willing to train your people from the energy sector in India, because we have public sector enterprises in the oil business, both upstream and downstream, with huge experience and these are multi-billion-dollar companies. So, we are offering free training for your people to be trained in the energy sector,” he stated.

“Guyana is on the verge of development into the next league and we are there to partner with Guyana in whatever it needs in terms of capacity-building, in skills development, in terms of education. India has its strengths and we are willing to collaborate with Guyana,” he further stated.

Both India and Guyana were once part of the British Empire and have been bound together since immigrants from India came to Guyana 181 years ago and their descendants now form a large portion of the country’s population.

Dr Srinivasa described the relationship as similar to an “umbilical cord.” Today, India is one of the world’s main centres for manufacturing renewable energy equipment and home to numerous experts in the sector.

In 2018, Guyana signed and ratified the Framework Agreement of the International Solar Alliance, through which President David Granger has pledged the country’s commitment to cooperating with India in pursuit of its goal of becoming a solar state – a key component of Guyana’s GSDS.

India has also offered assistance of US$15 million Grant (US$ 1million per CARICOM member state) for quick-impact community development projects in CARICOM countries, and US$ 150 million Line of Credit for CARICOM countries for solar energy and climate change-related projects.

The high commissioner commended Guyana’s awards received over the years for environmental protection and sustainable tourism, as he stated: “I believe that renewable energy will be one of the biggest sectors where we both can collaborate.”

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