Gov’t in search of consultant to review renewable energy programme

The Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) is in search of a consultant to conduct a mid-term valuation of the Energy Matric Diversification and Institutional Strengthening of the Department of Energy (EMISDE).

The programme is designed to support Guyana’s evolving energy sector by investing in sustainable, cleaner energy solutions to diversify the energy matrix in the hinterland, while contributing to climate change mitigation; investing in the reinforcement of transmission infrastructure to improve reliability and stability of the Demerara Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS), and strengthening the Department of Energy (DoE) to develop a regulatory framework and improve institutional capacity and governance of the Guyana’s oil and gas sector.    

The objective of the consultancy is to conduct a mid-term evaluation of EMISDE programme. The evaluation will assess the extent to which the programme has achieved its main objective and expected outcomes at the time of the mid-term review.

Additionally, the mid-term evaluation will propose recommendations to enhance the project’s relevance, effectiveness, efficiency and impact with a view to ongoing and future activities until the end of the project’s implementation The mid-term evaluation requires the services of an individual consultant in accordance with the terms of reference previously approved by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) – the financial institution funding the project.

As one of three components under the EMISDE programme, the Renewable Energy Solutions for the hinterland is aimed at addressing the energy diversification policy goals of the Government of Guyana. This component will finance the investment of solar technology in three townships and the Island of Leguan, by means of the installation of solar PV-tied mini-grid systems in Bartica (1.5 MW), Lethem (1.0 MW), Mahdia (0.65 MW) and Leguan (0.6 MW) totalling 3.75 MW, and the implementation of a storage capacity to manage intermittence of these sources.

Overall, the component will provide a reliable electricity source to the expanding needs of power supply in these communities now relying on fossil fuel. The installation works are ongoing at Bartica and Lethem solar PV sites where more than 50 per cent has been completed. Further, the investments will incorporate a pilot smart metering initiative that will provide a technological advancement in the operation of the distribution grid. Additionally, the component incorporates a gender focus intervention with the development of productive uses of electricity.

Importantly, His Excellency, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali is confident that by 2024 an additional 500 megawatts (MW) of energy will be added to the electricity grid.

“[The] energy sector is critical; recognising the importance of energy sufficiency, reliability, affordability and sustainability, your government has commenced investment in the energy sector, aiming for a new generation capacity of at least 500 MW in the immediate term, with the option to expand this further in the longer term,” the President said on his Administration’s one-year anniversary, last year.

The energy mix will include the gas-to-energy project (250 MW); the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (165MW) and a solar energy generation (30MW). Many of the projects are already in advanced stages. Notably, the final outcome would see energy cost slashed by at least 50 per cent before the end of 2024.