Farfan and Mendes Ltd, a provider of industrial equipment and supplies in Guyana, and Soventix Caribbean based in the Dominican Republic, a developer, and service provider of construction and other services for solar photovoltaic plants, have won an award for the Best Energy Storage Project for the Lethem Engineer-ing, Procurement and Construction (EPC).
A release from Farfan and Mendes said that this project consisted of a state-of-the-art hybrid system combining a solar photovoltaic plant, a battery energy storage system (BESS) and integrating them to the existing traditional generation systems. The release said that the award was presented by the Caribbean Renewable Energy Forum (CREF) at the 15th annual CREF in Miami on April 27th, 2023.
The Lethem Solar Energy Project is part of the Government of Guyana’s plan to promote renewable energy decarbonize the electricity generation matrix and lower dependence on fossil fuels. Funded through the Inter-American Development Bank, the project aims to supply affordable and reliable electricity to the town of Lethem in southern Guyana. The project involved the installation of a 1MW solar plant and 571kWh battery storage, which will provide power to the Lethem grid, and is expected to significantly cut diesel consumption.
Farfan and Mendes Guyana Ltd and Soventix Caribbean were jointly responsible for the EPC of the project, which encompassed designing, procuring, and constructing the solar plant. The project was completed on time and on budget, despite the challenges of working in a remote and difficult-to-access location.
The CREF award recognizes the “outstanding work and dedication” of Farfan and Mendes Guyana Ltd and Soventix Caribbean SRL in delivering the Lethem Solar Utility Scale Project, the release said.
Farfan and Mendes Ltd, Manager of the Solar Division, Martin Carto, said, “We are proud to have been part of this landmark project and to have contributed to the development of renewable energy in Guyana. This award is a recognition of our team’s hard work and dedication to delivering high-quality projects that make a positive impact on people’s lives.”
Alvaro Vergara, Country Manager of Soventix Caribbean, added, “The Lethem Solar Utility Scale Project is a shining example of our commitment to customer satisfaction based on operational excellence, a strong partnership and commitment to delivering state-of-the art renewable energy project implementation. We are honoured to have been part of this key project and to have received this award from CREF and would like to thank our client the Guyana Energy Agency for their trust, as well as the Lethem Power Company and the Guyanese authorities for their support.”
