Exxon concedes renewable cheaper, cleaner, direction the world is heading

Jul 14, 2021 News

…says it’s your Govt. that’s pushing gas-to-energy project

Kaieteur News – Mike Ryan, Production Manager for ExxonMobil Guyana, has conceded that renewable energy which involves the use of solar, wind and hydro is not only cheaper and cleaner for the environment but is also the direction in which the world is heading.
Ryan gave this position during a scoping exercise held with the public on Friday last at the Umana Yana as part of the public consultations for the US$900M gas-to-energy project.

Solar panels mounted atop the GEA building.

Those meetings are being held in consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in order to prepare guidelines for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) needed for the permit.
The ExxonMobil Executive was asked directly why his company was pushing for the realisation of the project in light of the movement globally to renewables. He subsequently disclosed that it was the Guyana Government, which was pushing for the project.
He was keen to note that Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) is only assisting the Guyana Government with the project.
According to Ryan, while the world is trying to lower emissions, “the Government of Guyana wants to proceed with this project, we want to partner and participate with them to help deliver on what they are trying to do, and we are happy to participate.”
Pressed on the idea of renewable energy such as wind and solar and its impact on the reduction of emissions, Ryan told participants, “I agree that any reduction in emission is where we are trying to go and other alternative energy I think we should pursue them and I appreciate the efforts that Guyana is doing there.”
He was at the time making reference to projects proposed and in operation in Guyana that include solar farms and hydro power plants.
According to Ryan, with regards the pursuit of renewable energy, he posited, “I would believe that the government is looking at a long term plan on renewables.”
He suggested however that the pursuit of renewables “is a great question to have a talk with Government on how to continue to reduce emissions.”
Further conceding to the benefits of renewable energy, Ryan told stakeholders “globally, everybody wants to improve greenhouse gas emissions…we fully support that, I fully support that.”
The Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) is currently pursuing a number of renewable energy initiatives including a proposed 0.60MW Solar PV site at Leguan.
The agency is also advertising for investors to submit their bids for the design, supply, installation and commissioning of an 88.6 kWp Off-Grid Solar Photovoltaic Mini-Grid System in Sebai, 150 kWp Off-Grid Solar Photovoltaic Micro-Grid System and Electrical Distribution Network in Paruima.
GEA Head, Dr. Mahender Sharma, had recently reaffirmed in a public discussion on renewable energy that the agency is working towards a domestic energy mix to be developed over the next five years of some 400 mega watts (MW) of installed generation capacity in the country.
According to Dr. Sharma, in the coming three years alone, some 39MW would be added to the grid using solar farms and other smaller such systems in the next three years.
Speaking to hydropower initiatives by the agency, Dr. Sharma pointed to one completed in Region One at Hosororo and the construction of another 150kw plant at Kato in Region Eight.
Additionally, he outlined that the GEA will soon be going out to tender for the construction of hydropower plants in Region Nine at Moco Moco at 0.7MW and in Kumu, a 1.5MW facility.
According to Dr. Sharma, government is currently awaiting finalisation of financing for the projects from the Islamic Development Bank, while another private developer is looking to construct a 2.2MW hydropower plant at Tumatumari.
This, he said, is in addition to the GEA currently conducting countrywide studies and surveys in relation to the country’s hydropower potential.
Additionally, the GEA noted that there have been some progress made on the development of wind technology for the generation of electricity and pointed to an example of a wind powered lighting system – the 1823 Monument at the Georgetown Seawall.