PRIME Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, on Friday, commissioned the new Hampshire Solar Farm in Region Six. The plant has a capacity of 3MWp (megawatt peak) and stands as another major leap in Guyana’s transition to cleaner, more reliable, and more affordable energy.

The facility forms part of the government’s push to expand renewable generation countrywide and follows the recent commissioning of the 5MWp Onderneeming Solar Farm on the Essequibo Coast.

The projects are key elements of the national effort to diversify the energy mix and reduce carbon emissions under the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030.

According to Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL), the Berbice solar programme also includes ongoing projects at Prospect and Trafalgar, representing one of the largest coordinated solar expansions in the country’s history.

Delivering remarks on behalf of President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, the prime minister highlighted the significance of the commissioning, noting Guyana’s steady progress towards developing its renewable energy agenda.

“This commissioning sends a clear signal not only to our people, but to the Latin American and Caribbean region and the rest of the world,” he said, and added that “It says that Guyana is serious about transitioning to cleaner energy sources. We view this transition as an urgent imperative.”

He also noted that President Ali, who led two days of Cabinet and expanded Cabinet engagements in Region Six, is keenly focused on ensuring that the nation’s new revenue streams directly improve people’s lives.

The Hampshire Solar Farm features a total installed capacity of 3MWp, comprising 4,928 solar modules, eight PV inverters, advanced mounting structures, and a new 13.8kV spur connecting to the Canefield F3 distribution feeder.

Built for durability, it can withstand winds of up to 244 km/h. The system is engineered for resilience, long-term operational stability, and efficient integration into the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS).

Once fully operational, the installation is expected to generate approximately 4,800MWh (megawatt-hour) of energy annually, translating to an estimated GY$210 million in avoided fossil fuel costs and a reduction of nearly 3,200 tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year.

The commissioning comes as world leaders gather in Belém, Brazil, for COP30. Prime Minister Phillips highlighted that Guyana continues to demand greater global urgency in climate action.

“COP30 has established that the global march toward renewable energy has not slowed; it has strengthened. The world recognises that the transition to clean power is not optional, but essential…developing countries like Guyana cannot carry the transition on aspirations alone. We need financing, fair, predictable, accessible and quicker financing to scale renewable energy,” the prime minister said.

Additionally, he emphasised that although Guyana remains one of the world’s strongest net carbon sinks, the country continues to lead by example:

“Leadership is not what you claim. Leadership is what you do. Even as our forests perform the work of giants, we still invest, we still act. Climate change does not wait on anyone,” the Prime Minister said.

The prime minister reiterated that Guyana’s energy transition is built on three pillars:

Natural gas as a low-emission, reliable transition fuel;

hydropower as a long-term source of stable, clean baseload energy and

solar and wind for rapid, decentralised renewable generation across the regions.

Together, he explained, the pillars create a “multi-lane pathway” to meet Guyana’s rapidly expanding electricity demand, projected to more than triple by 2030.

“No single source can carry that load,” he stressed, before stating, “That is why we diversify. That is why we invest. That is why we plan not for today’s Guyana, but for tomorrow’s Guyana.”  [DPI]