56 solar mini-grids to be completed in hinterland communities by year-end – INews Guyana

The Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) says that by the end of this year, approximately 56 solar mini-grids will be established in hinterland communities across Guyana as part of efforts to expand access to renewable energy.

This was revealed by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the GEA, Dr Mahender Sharma, during the latest edition of the Energy Perspectives Podcast, titled “Powering Guyana’s Low-Carbon Future”.

Dr Sharma said the mini-grids will provide electricity to public and community buildings in hinterland areas, utilising solar photovoltaic (PV) technology supported by battery storage and small distribution networks.

“This year, we’ll have about 56 solar mini-grids spread across the hinterland communities. These mini-grids are usually drum-mounted solar PV panels with a small room for batteries and a small distribution network. We’re taking power to public and community buildings,” Dr Sharma explained.

He noted that the mini-grid programme complements another initiative launched in 2023, which saw the distribution of more than 37,000 small solar home systems to residents in hinterland communities.

Previously, it was a solar panel with a charger that powered some lights and a fan and charged your mobile devices. But we’re going beyond that with the policies that GPL has implemented, including the net billing policy. You and I can benefit from solar technology too,” he said.

Dr Sharma said residents now have the opportunity to invest in solar energy systems for their homes, adding that the GEA has launched an awareness campaign to educate people on how they can incorporate solar technology into their households.

“We have the ability; we can invest in solar, and we started a campaign a few months ago to educate people on how you can integrate and incorporate solar panels in your own homes. We use an example: a five-kilowatt system, for example, will cost about $1.2 million. This will generate about $328,000 in value based on the energy that you get from the solar panels and the energy that you displace from GPL,” he explained.

Using his own home as an example, Dr Sharma said he has personally invested in solar technology and has seen a significant reduction in his electricity costs.

“I’ve done a slightly larger system, 20-kilowatt panels, and I’ve been able to reduce my electricity bills from about $80,000 to less than $20,000 a month. And anybody can do this now,” he said.

Dr Sharma encouraged people to view solar energy as an investment rather than a cost, noting that it allows consumers to reduce their reliance on electricity supplied by the Guyana Power and Light (GPL).

He explained that excess energy generated by solar systems can be supplied back to GPL’s network, with the utility installing bidirectional meters to measure energy inflows and outflows.

Meanwhile, the GEA says Guyana’s renewable energy capacity is set to receive a major boost by the end of the year, with solar photovoltaic (PV) installations expected to bring the country’s total solar capacity close to 50 megawatts (MW) as Government and Private Sector investments continue to diversify the national energy mix.

Dr Sharma made the announcement while responding to questions about Guyana’s progress in renewable energy development and where the country currently stands at the midpoint of 2026.

“LCDS 2030 is the framework in which all of this is happening,” Dr Sharma explained, noting that Guyana’s energy transition is being guided by efforts to reduce reliance on traditional energy sources while expanding investments in cleaner alternatives.

He said the country has been making significant strides in developing renewable energy capacity, with solar power forming a key part of that expansion.

“By the end of this year, with the completion of all of that, we’ll have close to 50 megawatts of solar PV capacity,” Dr Sharma said. He pointed to several ongoing investments contributing to this growth, including Private Sector initiatives and projects supported through the GEA and GPL.

One such investment includes a mining company that has developed almost 50 MW of solar capacity, while GEA’s solar projects connected to GPL account for an additional 33 MW.

Dr Sharma also highlighted other major energy projects being advanced, including the Gas-to-Energy (GtE) Project, which he said will allow Guyana to utilise its indigenous natural gas resources to generate electricity and reduce the need for fuel imports.

“And that gas will displace the need for imports and will utilise an indigenous resource now, gas, an indigenous resource, to generate power,” he said.

He noted that the GtE Project is not the only initiative being pursued, with the Government already announcing additional phases of the project to further expand generation capacity.

Beyond natural gas and solar development, Dr Sharma said Guyana is also advancing other renewable energy projects, including the Amaila Falls Hydroelectric Project, which is expected to add 165 MW of hydropower capacity to the national grid.

With investments across solar, hydropower, and natural gas, the GEA CEO said Guyana is moving towards a more diversified and sustainable energy system aimed at improving reliability while supporting the country’s low-carbon development goals.

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