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GEA Saves $1M in Solar Powered Prototype
Solar panels installed on the shed of GEA compound
The Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) has announced that in one year is has saved one Million Guyana dollars in electricity costs.
The company’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mahender Sharma mentioned that this was possible with the grid-connected solar photovoltaic net-metering system that the company implemented one year ago, which he (Sharma) said is the first of its kind to be used in Guyana.
Photovoltaic (PV) Systems generate electricity from sunlight collected by solar panels. Energy collected in this manner can be used to supply direct power to electrical equipment, or can be stored in batteries to provide indirect power.
While grid ties or Net-Metering systems are connected to the main power grid and are designed to sell power back to the utility company.
“This means that in a system that produces 115 per cent of a homeowner’s annual electricity needs, the utility company will pay for the extra 15 per cent that was produced by the system.”
The Guyana Energy Agency, with support from the German Society for International Cooperation, (GIZ) and funding from the Austrian Development Cooperation, installed the 8.46kW Grid Tie Solar Photovoltaic Demonstration Project in 2012 at a cost of $6.9 million.
According to Sharma, “The energy supplied from the solar panels is about 20 per cent of the energy required by the load of the building. During a regular business day, the grid-tie inverter senses the amount of energy coming from the solar panels, measures the amount of energy being consumed by the building, then takes the difference from the grid.
“On holidays and weekends, when the load of the building is less than the power supplied from the solar panels, most of the energy is supplied to the grid. The grid-tie inverter is also designed to quickly disconnect from the grid if the utility grid goes down.”
Currently, the system is operating on a net-metering arrangement with GPL using the existing Itron meter. A module upgrade was sourced and installed, allowing the existing meter to now read energy received from the grid, energy supplied to the grid and net energy consumed by the load of the building.
Sharma posited, “The system was installed to promote the use of renewable energy in Guyana, gain understanding of grid tie technologies and demonstrate the use and application of solar photovoltaic grid tie technology. These efforts are aimed at securing and encouraging more efficient utilization of energy and sources of energy in the public’s interest.
“The Agency also seeks to develop and encourage the development and usage of sources of energy other than those currently in use.”
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