IDB releases US$83M from Norway funds for Guyana’s solar projects

Jul 11, 2022 News

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Kaieteur News – The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has approved Guyana’s request to tap US$83.3 million from the Norway fund to develop three solar power projects to aid in the diversification of the country’s energy matrix.

The project, dubbed the Guyana Utility Scale Solar Photovoltaic Program (GUYSOL) received the IDB’s blessing on June 15, last. The US$83.3M forms part of the revenues Guyana earned from Norway over the years for the preservation of its forests. According to the agreement Guyana has with the Kingdom of Norway, the money is to be overseen by the IDB to ensure they are invested in projects that propel the social and economic wellbeing of the Guyanese. As the custodian of those funds, Guyana was therefore obligated to get the IDB’s blessings for its plans to spend the said money.

Kaieteur News reported that last year Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo had written to the bank, outlining the PPP/C Administration’s intent to invest those sums in major solar projects. Documents which are available on the IDB’s website note that the project in question consists of 33MWp of Solar PV in three different grids: 15MWp with a 15MW, 1hr Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in the Linden Isolated Power System (LIS), 8MWp with an 8MW, 1hr BESS in the Essequibo Coast Isolated Power System (EIS), and 10MWp in the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS).

On Sunday, the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Inc. published a procurement notice in the daily newspapers indicating that the Government intends to apply part of the proceeds to payments for goods, works, related services and consulting services to be procured under the GUYSOL project.

“The main objective of the Program is to support the diversification of Guyana’s energy matrix towards the use of climate-resilient renewable energy sources in the electricity generation matrix,” GPL noted.

It was explained that the funds will be used to finance two components, namely the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction of 33MWp of Solar Photovoltaic Plants with Battery Energy Storage Systems, to be tendered in three lots and component two that will allow for the (i) installation of automated monitoring and control systems; (ii) remote control systems for substations (to be tendered with Works contract in Component I); (iii) individual consultancy for a Disaster Risk Management Plan for flood-prone sites; (iv) training programs for women in solar PV, Solar Job and Workforce Development (SJWD) and (v) the design and implementation of an apprenticeship program for diversity and inclusion within GPL’s Program Executing Unit and other Government Energy Agencies.

The project is expected to avoid CO2 emissions with the development of solar PV generation plants; lower the cost of electricity generation while supporting the country’s transition towards renewable energy-based generation and improve the operation and reliability of the isolated systems of Essequibo and Linden and develop local skills for services related to solar PV generation systems.

Solar projects

With respect to the Linden Project, the IDB explained that this will consist of three 5MWp farms specifically at Block 37 (in the vicinity of Bamia on the Linden Soesdyke Highway), Retrieve on the eastern side of the Demerara River, and Dacoura on the western side of the Demerara River.

In addition, given the high level of penetration, the farms will be supported by a 15MW, 1hr (minimum) BESS for stability support to the grid.

This newspaper understands that the Block 37 Farm will interconnect to the Amelia’s Ward 13.8kVLoad Feeder, the Dacoura Farm will interconnect to the Wismar 13.8kV Feeder, and the Retrieve Farm will interconnect directly to the 13.8kV Substation in the vicinity of Retrieve.

Given the current and projected load in the Linden Community, the project will initially satisfy approximately 38 percent of the demand with an average annual generation of 24.03GWh resulting in approximately US$5.47M in savings from Government subsidies.

As for the Essequibo Coast project, the IDB said this will consist of two farms specifically 4.4MWp at Onderneeming and 3.6MWp Lima Sands. In addition, given the high level of penetration, the farms will be supported by an 8MW, 1hr (minimum) BESS for stability support on the grid.

The IDB explained that the Onderneeming Farm will interconnect to the South 13.8kV Feeder, while the Lima Sands Farm will interconnect to the North 13.8kV Feeder. Given the current and projected load on the Essequibo Coast, the project will initially satisfy approximately 28 percent of the demand with an average annual generation of 12.21GWh resulting in approximately US$2.11M in savings from displaced fossil fuel generation and from not having to use fossil fuel generation as spinning reserve.

In Berbice, this newspaper understands that three farms will be built which will include a 4MWp at Trafalgar on the West Coast of Berbice; 2MWp at Prospect on the East Coast of Berbice; and 4MWp at Hampshire in Corentyne, Berbice. The IDB said the Trafalgar and Prospect farms will interconnect via an express 13.8kV line to the 13.8kV busbar at the Onverwagt and Canefield substations respectively. The bank said the Hampshire farm will interconnect to the Canfield F3 13.8kV Feeder. Ultimately, the farms will be a part of the DBIS and will only satisfy a very small portion of the demand of the DBIS.

 

 

 

 

 

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