Jagdeo now seems less enthusiastic about solar energy

Apr 29, 2024 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

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Peeping Tom…

Kaieteur News – At his last press conference, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo raised doubts about the use of solar power in Guyana, pointing to its instability, during cloudy days, and the high cost of battery storage. This new found reservation towards the use of solar power is baffling considering that his government’s plans for the energy sector are predicated on increase in solar power generation.

The PPPC’s plan for the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS) is to increase its peak load from 139MW in 2021 to 1,881 MW in 2040. Of this only 300 MW is expected to be supplied by natural gas. The remainder will have to come from heavy diesels, solar, wind and hydropower.

In fact, the government’s energy plans for the DBIS hinges on the exponential increase in solar energy from a mere 7 Mw in 2021 to a massive 1,160 by 2040, far greater than the planned contribution of hydroelectricity. It is therefore worrying that Jagdeo should be making excuses about the instability of solar power when such a significant share of the future energy demand of the DBIS is based upon the contribution of solar energy.

The revised Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) is unambiguous about the country’s transition towards solar energy. Under the LCDS the GPL was supposed to have had its first on-grid PV farm in Berbice with a total capacity of 10 megawatts-peak (MWp) by this year. This now appears off the radar. The LCDS had projected an estimated 100MWp of Solar PV capacity by 2030.  That capacity would be for Distributed Generation solar rooftops and Utility-scale solar farms.

The APNU+AFC had commenced an impressive solar energy project that saw several government buildings utilizing solar energy. By the time, the APNU+AFC left office some 291 government buildings had installed about five megawatts of rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) systems as part of plans for rooftop solar PV. The plan was to eventually have all government buildings powered by solar energy.

The PPPC’s energy transition plans outline a phased approach to meeting increased electricity demand. Initially, from 2022 to 2028, the focus is on tripling electricity supply mainly through natural gas and the Amaila Falls Hydropower plant, alongside significant expansion of solar power in coastal urban areas, complemented by batteries for off-grid regions. This underscores a strong emphasis on solar power as a key component of the government’s energy transition strategy.

However, the government is finding difficulties in restarting the Amaila Falls Hydroelectric Project, the brainchild of Jagdeo. Despite claiming how Guyana would not have been in the present situation regarding power outages had the project gone ahead, the government is not finding any takers to resuscitate this project.

According to the LCDS, the government’s energy plans from 2028 to 2032 involves further reducing reliance on Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO), expanding wind and solar power, and commissioning a second hydro plant. This plan is now in serious jeopardy with the government now being forced to buy emergency energy and with serious slippages on increasing planned generation.

The plan for 2032 and beyond anticipates that advancements in battery and hydrogen technology will enable solar and wind plants to dominate new capacity increases, thereby driving down electricity prices. Jagdeo’s seeming deemphasis on hydroelectricity is at odds with the LCDS’s long-term reliance on the development and integration of solar power alongside other renewable sources.

This column had argued before that the government would not need to invest a cent in solar energy. GPL can buy energy for solar power producers. It has pointed other countries which have sourced solar power cheaper than then US$0.08 which energy from natural gas will cost. It has pointed to reports in which it is stated that China and India will by 2030 be able to provide low-cost competitive solar energy.

It is shortsighted for anyone to label the instability of solar power as a significant issue. While it’s true that solar power generation is intermittent due to variations in sunlight, this doesn’t inherently make it unstable or unreliable. In fact, solar power can be effectively integrated into the energy grid with proper planning and management.

One approach is diversifying energy sources, such as combining solar with other renewables like wind or hydroelectric power, to mitigate fluctuations in supply. Additionally, incorporating grid-scale solar farms alongside distributed rooftop installations can help balance out variability, ensuring a more consistent energy supply.

Advancements in grid management technology allow for better coordination of energy generation and consumption, enabling utilities to forecast solar output and adjust power generation accordingly. This means that even without battery storage, solar power can contribute to a stable energy supply by complementing existing sources and leveraging smart grid solutions.

Given Guyana’s high irradiation levels, intermittence in solar energy poses less of a problem compared to many other countries. The abundant sunlight throughout the year provides a consistent source of energy for solar panels, reducing the impact of intermittency.

Therefore, rather than viewing solar power’s intermittency as a hindrance, Jagdeo should recognize its potential to contribute to a reliable and sustainable energy future when integrated thoughtfully into Guyana’s energy landscape.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this newspaper and its affiliates.)

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• Bharrat Jagdeo, Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System, Peeping Tom, solar power

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