Guyana unveiled it will build its first solar farm next year as part of a larger national strategy to transition to renewable energy. Solar power will be an important component of the country’s larger plan to reduce spending on fossil fuel and lower carbon emissions. Plans to attract investors to Guyana include one-off tax holidays for importers of wind and solar technology.
Guyanese Finance Minister, Winston Jordan announced in his 2017 National Budget speech that the first “large scale” solar farm would be constructed at Mabaruma at a cost of GY$264 million dollars. The 400 kilowatt solar farm will provide an additional 17 hours of electricity to the 3,000 residents of Mabaruma.
Plans are also on the drawing board, he said, to build an 800 kilowatt s0lar system at Lethem, 400 kilowatts at Mahdia, and 1.5 megawatts at Bartica.
The Government will conduct further geotechnical studies for the Moco Moco Hydropower Development Project. The results of the geotechnical studies, expected to be completed in 2017, will be used to invite bids for the hydropower re-development contract. Also, in the coming year, Guyana will conduct data collection studies on wind energy via a demonstration wind project.
