Draft Energy Policy enters second phase

Apr 12, 2017 News

The first phase of actually crafting the draft of a National Energy Policy has been completed. The second phase of the project, which entails the document being opened for public scrutiny and feedback, has commenced.
The draft document is intended to update the 1994 National Energy Policy of Guyana. It not only addresses the growing concerns related to the country’s dependence on imported fossil fuels, but goes further to highlight the implications of global warming.
Public Infrastructure Minister, David Patterson, had said that even though Guyana has tremendous alternative power potential, it is still heavily dependent on fossil fuel for its energy needs. This is especially necessary, given Government’s concerns that the current regime of low oil prices might not be sustainable.
The policy also supports Guyana’s ‘Go-Green’ efforts. “Oil products have negative impacts on local and global air quality, coastal ecosystems, drinking water, and the country’s commitment to international climate change initiatives. There are further concerns about the negative impacts of oil spills on the coastal and marine environment,” the ‘rationale’ of the draft document read.
It was explained that from 1994 to now, there have been several initiatives and studies that were aimed at putting Guyana on a path of diversifying its energy supply.
The most significant of these plans include the Low Carbon Development Strategy, the Guyana Power Generation Expansion Study, an Assessment of Fiscal and Regulatory Barriers to Deployment of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Technologies in Guyana, 2014, and the National Development Strategy, 2001 to 2010.
According to the draft document, the Government’s energy objectives are aimed at the six major economic sub-sectors. These are Residential, Agriculture, Transport, Mining, Industry and Commerce and Tourism.
It further specified the overall objectives for energy demand and end use as being to, “decrease energy use through energy conservation and efficiency per unit of the Gross Domestic Product; increase the demand for clean and sustainable energy from renewable energy resources; increase the likelihood that consumer energy consuming behaviour and decisions will be in keeping with the principles of the Green Development Strategy.”
It was highlighted in the document, that “the current supply of energy to Guyana comprises imported petroleum products (80% of primary energy), two electric grids that generate power from fossil fuels to supply the main population areas, a number of isolated mini-grids, and biomass in the form of sugar cane bagasse and fire wood (collectively 19% of primary energy), that are used for heat and electricity.”
It was explained that the two grids are the Demerara – Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS) and Linden.
“There are vast resources of hydro that are not currently utilized. There are significant resources of solar, wind, and other biomass. There is also the potential for participation in cross border electric grids, and the development of large scale hydro power resources under the Brazilian- led Arco Norte project that connects the State of Roraima in northern Brazil to the three Guianas and the Caribbean Sea.”

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