2nd phase of TERI study to support Gov’t’s efforts to address climate change and energy completed- report submitted to participating agencies

Guyana, GINA, March 25, 2014

An audit of Guyana’s potential for energy efficiency was completed and finding and recommendation handed over to key stakeholders by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).

The reports were handed over by Associate Director of TERI Dr. Rudra Narsimha Rao on Monday during a simply ceremony which was held at the Guyana International Conference Centre.

Agencies which participated in the project, included the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) and the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA).

TERI over the past few months has been spearheading a two -phase component project which gives technical support to the Guyana Government in the areas of climate change and energy. This second phase of the project was aimed at improving the output of the rice, sugar and manufacturing sectors.

Associate Director of TERI Dr. Rudra Narsimha Rao said that the studies were conducted with rice mills, sugar estates, sawmills and manufacturing agencies to promote energy management and conservation and increase outputs.

Dr. Rao highlighted that energy efficiency is the main method of fighting climate change and its global impact since unclean energy is the main contributor. He added that a three- year plan has been completed for the sugar industry and recommendations which came out of the study are expected to be adapted in the daily operations of the industry.

Rao explained that some of the recommendations can be categorised as short, medium and long-term, so as to prioritise efforts to improve energy efficiency. Already other rice millers have expressed interest in being a part of the pilot project.

Head of the Office of Climate Change, Shyam Nokta pointed out that some of the recommendations have already been adapted in various agencies and improvements are already being seen.  Nokta further lauded TERI’s efforts and their commitment towards the project. The Climate Change Unit Head also announced that this project will be extended to a third phase, which will see the expansion of the focus on energy efficiency in social and productive sectors of society.

Nokta said energy efficiency should be seen as a lifestyle and behavioural approach, a concept that is also advanced under Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).

Meanwhile Minister of Agriculture Dr. Leslie Ramsammy said to ignore the role of energy and its efficiency would be reckless having taken into consideration the potential in this area.

The Minister said no responsible country should ignore this issue since energy efficiency adds to the development trajectory of Guyana’s LCDS.

Minister Ramsammy alluded to the fact that Guyana is determined to move beyond the label of “underdeveloped” and move towards becoming a high-middle income country, an advance that can be supported by increased focus on energy efficiency. He underscored the fact that agriculture is the largest manufacturing sector in the country and noted that, when it was being developed, the focus was on food security.

In addition, the TERI project was lauded by GMSA President, Mr. Clinton Williams, who highlighted the need for focus to be placed on the multiplying effect of the work in improving energy efficiency and the involvement of additional stakeholders.

TERI’s energy auditing was part of phase two of its work in Guyana, under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Government, which was signed in 2012 and has seen the Institute providing technical support to assist this country improve its energy efficiency across the productive sectors.