Solar panels stolen from newly installed wind measuring station at Onverwagt

Feb 15, 2019 News

Less than a month after installing a new tower to test wind speed at Onverwagt, West Berbice, there is painful news that thieves have targeted it.

The wind measuring gauge being installed at Onverwagt last month

According to Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, someone stole the solar panels that powered the gauges.
“Less than 3 weeks ago, we installed a wind measuring gauge. I was just informed that someone stole the solar panels and control panel.”
According to the Minister, the project was one step forward for the country, but the theft two steps backwards.
Last month, the ministry announced that the Hinterland Electrification Company Inc., under its purview, has successfully installed the first 60-meter Wind Resource Measuring Station at Onverwagt, Berbice.
This project was a cooperative effort between the Government of Guyana, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Global Environmental Facility (GEF).
The key goal of the project is to promote renewable energy technologies through Guyana’s Sustainable Energy Program in urban and off-grid areas.
It was disclosed that the importance of the wind tower is to yield quality wind data, which can be used by wind project investors to develop wind farms in Guyana along its coast.
The Ministry’s expectation is that within one to two years of high-quality data from tall met-masts (60-80 metres height), wind project developers can prepare a bankable feasibility report which can then lead to financing of wind farm projects.
The tower consists of three wind speed sensors at 61m, 45m and 30m, wind direction sensors at 58m and 30.3m, temperature and relative humidity sensor at 20m, and air pressure sensor 3m.
Over the next six months, it was the plan to install three more wind towers.

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