Solar systems being installed at eight schools

Eight secondary schools will be benefitting from the installation of grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) systems.

According to a press release from the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), the GEA in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs has begun the installation of nine grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) systems at Leguan Secondary School, Hope Secondary School, Leonora Secondary School, Richard Ishmael Secondary School, West Demerara Secondary School, Diamond Secondary School, Stewartville Secondary School, Bladen Hall Secondary School and the Ministry of Indigenous People Affairs Scholarship Hostel.

The installations will produce an estimated 125,321 kWh of energy annually and are expected to be completed by the end of April 2017, the release stated. The systems range in size from 6.5 kWp to 12 kWp

The release quoted Leon DeSouza, the lead engineer on the project as stating that “…the Institutions were chosen from among those that GEA would have conducted Energy Assessments at and based on the size of the systems they would require.” He went on to explain that “GEA was responsible for procuring and installation oversight of the PV systems.”

According to the release, the main components of the installed systems, the PV modules and grid connected inverters, have a lifespan of 25 and 10 years respectively.

At a total cost of $48,959,883, the release stated, the project will aid in the avoidance of 87,025 kg of carbon dioxide emissions and will result in savings of approximately $8,336,330 annually with a payback period of about 5.8 years.