Remote community in Guyana to be powered by solar energy

Last Updated on Wednesday, 11 October 2017, 7:54 by Denis Chabrol

Due to the remote location of the site the sun2live-project has to overcome some logistical challenges, e.g. it has to choose smaller containers and boats. Image: meeco

Guyana, as part of its strategy to transition towards a 100 percent renewable energy supply by 2025, has hired a company to design, supply and install a 400 kWp solar system for the community of Mabaruma in the North West District.

The tender was awarded to meeco which will execute the project together with its local joint venture, oursun Guyana,

As part of this strategy, the Hinterland Electrification Company Inc. (HECI), associated with the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, strives to improve the electricity situation of remote areas and reduce their dependence on cost-expensive and polluting diesel generators.

The Mabaruma region will now benefit from this approach, since the HECI has awarded meeco the tender to design, supply and install a 400 kWp solar system for the community, which meeco will execute together with its local joint venture oursun Guyana.

According to meeco, the clean energy sun2live project comprises the installation of a 400 kWp ground-mounted solar solution together with batteries offering a storage capacity of 400 kWh. Upon completion, the small remote community in the very North of the country, close to the Venezuelan border, can rely on 1,808 kWh of reliable renewable energy per day. This will thereby minimise the use of diesel generators avoiding the burning of approximately 21,000 litres of fuel per month.

“Especially for isolated off-grid regions such as Mabaruma, solar energy represents a cost-effective alternative source of power that at the same time contributes to addressing the rising challenges of climate change,” meeco added.

The realisation of the sun2live solar project requires an accurate and customised planning, particularly concerning the delivery of the materials. “Due to the remote location of the site we will have to overcome some logistical challenges as we will not be able to arrange transport by air or cargo ships as usual, but had to choose smaller containers and boats”, explains Thomas Beindorf, Chief Technical Officer (CTO) of The meeco Group.

In addition to the logistical part, this project requires an advanced engineering. After the installation of the sun2live, the system will be connected to the existing distribution grid, which means that the voltage and power of the solar solution and batteries have to be synchronised exactly to the local electricity network. “We are looking forward to realising this challenging project and thereby contribute to establish a reliable renewable energy supply in Mabaruma”, summarises Beindorf.