The Hinterland Electrification Unit is almost ready to install the first batch of 1,000 solar panels in hinterland households, under its pilot project.
The panels have already arrived in Guyana and the Unit is awaiting the arrival of supporting materials such as switches and cables for the internal wiring of the systems, the Government Information Agency (GINA) said in a statement.
Horace Williams, Head of the Hinterland Electrification Programme, said the remaining 10,000 panels are expected to arrive next month. The project is part of government’s thrust to tap into alternative forms of energy supply while ensuring that electricity is provided to people living in remote Amerindian communities, particularly those that cannot be connected to a power grid.
This project is also a crucial component of the Low Carbon Development Strategy and ushered in the second stage of the Hinterland Electrification Programme, which is part of the national Unserved Areas Electrification Programme (UAEP) launched in 2005.
To date, 355 villagers from 184 hinterland communities have been trained to assemble, install and maintain the systems. Also, 1,729 households, 21 primary schools and two health centres have been given electricity under the Hinterland Electrification Programme.
An assessment of the project in 2010 revealed that the solar systems have helped to improve the quality of life in many households; with increases in appliances owned, increased reading, completion of school assignments, listening to educational programmes and increases in economic activities such as sewing, knitting and cake making. It is expected that such achievements will be replicated in the other communities on receipt of their solar package.
The package for distribution will include a photo-voltaic panel, 6A-12V DC charge controller, 67 Ah -12V deep cycle gelled electrolyte battery fitted with suitable terminals, sunlight resistant cable, 10 A, 1-pole DC circuit breaker, 9W-12VDC compact fluorescent lamps and a DC lightning arrester, with a unit cost of US$241. A study done by the Hinterland Project Preparation Component of the UAEP identified solar panels as the best alternative energy source for the hinterland. “This is based on several factors including limited economic opportunities, lack of developed Infrastructure as compared to rural areas on the coastland, and villages are widespread and houses are largely dispersed from each other,” GINA said.
The study also revealed that solar energy is probably the best source of energy for the majority of hinterland areas as Solar Home Systems would facilitate the installation of individual, isolated systems avoiding the use of grids that would be costly due to long distribution lines. Through the UAEP, 24,000 households benefited from electricity.
