Green energy transition will require specialised training to succeed

Feb 19, 2022 News

---

PM Phillips tells oil conference…

– says upgraded educational institutions necessary to meet new demands

Kaieteur News – With Guyana committed to a transition towards the use of more renewable energy sources, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and a digital transformation will be needed to support that clean energy transition and as such, “we need to develop our human resources and the local capacity to drive this clean energy transition.”
This was the adumbration by Minister with responsibility for Guyana’s Energy Sector, Prime Minister Mark Phillips, when he delivered remarks this past week during the International Energy Conference and Expo 2022, held at the Marriott Hotel from February 15 to 18.

With the second day of the presentations and panel discussions focusing on clean energy transitions, both in the national and regional contexts, Prime Minister Phillips was adamant, “capacity building, training and public awareness have to be incorporated so that our citizens can actively participate in opportunities for job creation and the development of small and medium-sized enterprises.”
He noted too that educational institutions “will have to be upgraded to cater to new demands as more citizens pursue additional certifications; women, youth, and vulnerable groups will be encouraged to actively participate in these opportunities.”
Recalling the United Nation’s 26th Conference of Parties (COP-26) and reminded that 1.5 degrees Celsius path is within reach, but the achievement will depend on the extent to which the pledges are held.
“Developed and developing countries cannot afford to work in solitude to address their energy challenges and scale-up measures; we need to work together to conquer the complexities and uncertainties in climate financing, technical capacities, policies and regulatory frameworks to drive the energy transition.”
With this in mind, he reassured delegates that Government remains committed towards achieving a low carbon economy, and advancing the transition to clean energy development will remain at the forefront of our national priority.
The Prime Minister had prefaced his arguments by pointing out that “With more than 760 million people in the world experiencing a lack of access to electricity, clean energy solutions present a promising prospect for providing improved services to vulnerable groups in our society and increased opportunities for enhanced lives and livelihoods.”
Acknowledging that the world’s energy sector is still significantly influenced by fossil fuels, PM Phillips observed that “Globally, some 73 percent of human-generated greenhouse gas emissions result from the burning of fossil fuels for electricity, transportation and heat.”
As such, “Governments must now work overtime to find real solutions by 2030.”
According to Prime Minister Phillips, “Even as we aim towards these goals amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we can certainly acknowledge that this global complication has certainly exposed the weaknesses within every sector, and energy is no exception.”
With this in mind, he posited that “now, more than ever, the achievement of Affordable and Clean Energy, Sustainable Development Goal number seven, will significantly improve these conditions, particularly for the millions of people who are currently considered to be energy poor.”
He was adamant however, that embarking on solutions like energy transition requires strategic and systemic changes at a national, regional and international level and that “the changes involved will undoubtedly affect not only our people, but also our sectors and regions.”
He noted that currently, the Caribbean is one of the most energy import-dependent regions of the world and at the same time, the price for electricity in the region also ranks among the highest in the world.
To this end, he posited, “these costs can considerably affect the region’s economic and social development, particularly among vulnerable populations.”
According to Prime Minister Phillips, clean energy and energy efficiency continue to play an essential part in Guyana’s energy transformation and “the Government of Guyana remains committed to providing affordable, stable, and reliable energy to benefit all, while reducing the country’s dependence on imported fossil fuels for electricity generation.”
With this in mind, he said government has since designed a dynamic path “for our country’s future, a future where sustainable energy like solar PV and hydropower are harnessed to serve energy needs in innovative ways. It is also a future where people are placed at the centre of clean energy transitions and the concerns of individuals, businesses, and communities are adequately addressed.”
With Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030 geared towards a massive expansion of renewable and clean energy across the country, Prime Minister Phillips said, “our Government will pursue a strategy of developing low-carbon energy resources like solar, hydro, wind, natural gas, and biomass, to meet the rapidly rising energy demand while keeping greenhouse gas emissions low. Under this strategy, we will advance an energy mix that will lead to more than 500 megawatts of newly installed capacity over the next five years.”
To this end, he said, the Government of Guyana is ready to engage and work in partnership with stakeholders in the sector to find solutions to our energy challenges and to create an enabling environment.

---

---