IN Mahdia, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), the 37,000 Solar Home Energy Systems Project and the 0.65 MW grid-forming Mahdia solar PV farm are significantly expanding access to affordable, reliable renewable electricity for residents.
According to the Ministry of Public Service, Government Efficiency and Implementation, some 226 off-grid households in the community have benefitted from solar home energy systems, with an additional 10 systems requested for new households to meet growing demand.
The solar PV farm is supplying renewable electricity to the satellite village and key public facilities, including the village office, sewing centre, and the multipurpose building.
In December 2024, Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, had commissioned the megawatt grid-forming solar PV farm, a project that was funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) under the Energy Matrix Diversification and Strengthening of the Department of Energy (EMISDE) programme.
With a population of just over 1,500, Toshao of Campbelltown in Mahdia, Earl Gildharie, said they have a total of 430 households (and counting), and have benefitted from both the solar home systems and the solar PV farms.
Gildharie also said that, from the main solar grid in Mahdia, persons have seen a 30 percent reduction in electricity costs that enables residents to reduce energy expenses and reinvest their savings
“For some of us, we usually pay like $20,000 on average, so with that 30 percent will come in as a good savings, and we can find other uses for that revenue,” the Toshao said.
Region Eight is not the only region in Guyana where this sentiment is shared. In Region One (Barima-Waini), Toshao of Karaburi, Earl Rodrigues, said that persons hailing the solar PV farm as very beneficial, mainly to primary school buildings, and the nursery school, as well as the teachers’ quarters. Additionally, the National School Feeding programme facilities in that area also benefit from the solar farm.
At Rockstone Primary School in Region Ten, a teacher at the school, Ms. Joylyn Gibbons, said that before they had the 6.33 kWp rooftop solar PV system, which was installed by the Guyana Energy Agency, under the government of Guyana, there was limited resources in terms of electricity availability at the school to provide better lighting for both students and teachers.
She said this installation in 2023 has significantly helped students and teachers to be more comfortable, and boosts teaching abilities.
In December last year, Prime Minister Philips had noted that the short to medium term plan of the government, is to build out 100 megawatts of solar power, complementing other medium and long-term projects, including the Gas to Energy initiative and the Amaila Falls project.
The government, overall, intends to deliver more than 500 megawatts of new generation capacity, with renewable energy forming a central pillar of this transition.
