Latest update April 20th, 2024 12:25 AM
Nov 23, 2014 News
By Rabindra Rooplall
As Energy Week concluded, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, in the capacity of Minister of Energy and Electricity,
noted that with the status of an oil-importing country, Guyana is vulnerable to fluctuations in regional and international energy markets. Indeed, Guyana recently felt the effects of the supply disruptions when the two main suppliers of petroleum products within the region experienced difficulties in supplying products.
Nationally, Prime Minister Hinds said a small shift in demand based on increased energy efficiency can lead to savings of millions of dollars in the country’s oil import bill.
Energy Week 2014 was celebrated under the theme, ‘Achieving Climate, Environmental and Economic Resilience through Sustainable Energy’.
Hinds explained that Energy is integral to every country’s economic growth and development.
“It is important for diverse economic activities such as transportation, agriculture, fishing, mining and manufacturing, all of which undoubtedly are key sectors for our economy. Additionally, energy is also a major contributor to health and well-being in providing services such as lighting, transportation, cooling, entertainment and much more.
“We have also noted that these supply disruptions are also becoming more frequent. They certainly do remind us of how necessary energy is to our economic well-being and daily lives. In addition to using energy more sparingly and efficiently, we need to start increasing our storage capacities and reserves to cushion supply disruptions,” the Energy Minister noted.
The CARICOM Energy Policy, Prime Minister Hinds said, advocates the provision of secure and sustainable supplies of energy, energy efficiency in all sectors, and energy access. By advancing collective goals, interconnection of energy systems and opportunities for country collaboration, the policy ultimately aims to achieve sustainable development in the Region.
Hinds stated that in the Electricity sector, Guyana has been “steadily increasing the generation capacity of the Guyana Power and Light, our national electric utility, and recently made significant investments in upgrading the transmission network. Our next phase of work is to be focused on improving the distribution networks, strengthening the human resource capacity of the company and reducing technical and commercial losses….an area that we can certainly benefit from your support.”
He further stated that Guyana’s energy policy, informed by the Low Carbon Development Strategy, is focused on providing reliable and renewable energy to all persons living here. The 165 MW Amaila Falls Hydro-Electric Project, a major transformational project of the Low Carbon Development Strategy, is intended to provide people with lower cost, more reliable and sustainable electrical energy.
“It is indeed unfortunate that such an important development project was met with resistance and is still to be concluded.”
“Government is committed to ensuring that all citizens have access to electricity as part of its socio-economic development and poverty alleviation initiative. Our Unserved Areas Electrification and Hinterland Electrification Programmes have been extending electricity services with much success. Mini-grids were installed and operating at Lethem, Mahdia, Port Kaituma and Moraikobai along with more than 14,000 solar photovoltaic (PV) installations for homes, primarily in hinterland communities.
In the next few months, another 6,000 solar home systems and 100 solar-powered ICT hubs will be installed in 100 villages. In the last few years, through pilots and demonstration projects, we have been furthering our knowledge of solar grid-tie applications, solar cooking stoves, solar-powered street lights, energy-efficient wood stoves, low-cost bio-digesters, bio-diesel and bio-ethanol production, wind energy and wind profiles.”
Hinds asserted that at the household and individual level, simple actions like plugging out appliances and turning off lights when not in use, or using energy-efficient lighting, can also lead to substantial savings. Public education and awareness programmes by the Guyana Energy Agency and the Guyana Power and Light offer guidelines and ideas on how to save energy and money in the home.
Where is the BETTER MANAGEMENT/RENEGOTIATION OF THE OIL CONTRACTS you promised Jagdeo?
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