Dear Editor,
It was pretty interesting reading Alfred Bhulai’s letter regarding solar in Guyana. Whilst his calculations are somewhat accurate, there are a few points I wish to make. The price quoted is from China, and as he said, shipping by container is very cheap, but an average house doesn’t require an entire container of solar equipment to power a house.
People don’t need to use LiFePO4 (Lithium) batteries for their systems. Lithium batteries could drain out completely while acid batteries lose their lifespan if they continuously go beyond their halfway energy storage, but because they are cheaper, you could buy more and add to the battery bank to avoid that. Editor, I’ve mentioned before that I have installed a number of solar systems, and based on budgets, I’d make recommendations on what can be purchased. I’ve set up numerous systems in the Pomeroon River, West Coast Demerara, and Georgetown, all working trouble-free, some for over five years. I’ve discontinued using Gel batteries because it’s a failed technology and I would never advise anyone to purchase/use it.
The Rolls acid batteries are extremely cheap, and with proper maintenance, could last more than 10 years. A 6volts-200amps LiFePO4 costs around seven hundred and forty-two thousand dollars, whilst a Rolls 6volts – 235amps battery costs around forty-four thousand dollars in Guyana. The price quote by Alfred for a panel is almost three times the cost here in Guyana, and sadly, you have to check the quality/makers/suppliers because you could end up buying a waste. I say that from experience, because I do go around quoting prices and checking quality whenever I get a chance.
I recommend that vital equipment be purchased from the USA and shipped here because I believe solar equipment is duty-free, its way cheaper and are of better quality than the garbage being dumped in Guyana; there is no proper quality testing being conducted on them here. The inverters/charge controllers could be programmed to shut down when the battery level reaches around 60%, and what I’ve noticed is that people tend to be more cautious in terms of energy consumption. There’s no fluctuation of voltage unless an errant person interferes so electrical appliances tend to last longer.
Finally Editor, the government is chosen by the people to govern and make life easier/simpler for the people, but it is my humble opinion, the government of Guyana is not doing enough, and because they have the power, they can intimidate and shut down feasible ideas for their agenda. Because they are the decision-makers, they know firsthand every development plan and could manipulate the system in such a way so as to cause delays whilst their friends and families could set a foundation to reap easily, when the time is right.
At present, an individual with close ties to this government is making a huge investment to venture into solar systems to garner government contracts, whilst another has already imported a huge amount of solar equipment to convert his entire empire into solar, which is estimated to run into millions. They already know that Guyana would not benefit from cheap electricity anytime soon and the system is already manipulated in their favour! Why must we wait some 30 years to enjoy cheap electricity in an oil-rich country?
Sincerely,
Sahadeo Bates
