ASTEPINTOTHEFUTURE:

GRIDTIESOLARPHOTOVOLTAICDEMONSTRATIONSYSTEM
Guyanausuallyreceivesabundantsunshine,andhasformanyyearsbeenusingsolar
photovoltaicpanelsforanumberofapplications,primarilyinremoteareaswithout
accesstoagrid.
TheGuyanaEnergyAgency,withsupportfromGIZandtheAustrianDevelopment
Cooperation,hasrecentlycompletedinstallationofan8.46kWGridTieSolar
PhotovoltaicDemonstrationProject.
Conceptualizedsometwoyearsago,theGEAworkedwithGIZduring2011todesign
thesystemandsecurefinancing,whichhasbeengraciouslyprovidedbytheAustrian
DevelopmentCooperation.
Astheoverarchingobjectives,thesystemwasinstalledto:
a)promotetheuseofrenewableenergyinGuyana;
b)gainunderstandingofgridtieopportunities;and

c)demonstratetheuseandapplicationofsolarphotovoltaicgridtietechnology.

WhatexactlyisthisGridTieSolarPhotovoltaicdemonstrationsystem?
Thesystemismadeupof36panels,eachratedat235wattswhichhavebeen
mountedontheshedinthecompoundoftheGEA,foratotalinstalledcapacityof
8.46kW.
ThesolarphotovoltaicpanelsconvertthesunsenergyintoDCelectricalenergy
whichisthenconvertedtoACvoltagebyagridtieinvertersystem.
Thegridtieinverteristheinterfacebetweenthesolarpanel,thebuildingsloadand
supplyfromthegridorGuyanaPowerandLightinthiscase.


Thepowersuppliedfromthesolarpanelsisabout20%ofthepowerdemandofthe
loadfromthebuilding,soduringaregularbusinessday,thegridtieinvertersenses
theamountofenergycomingfromthesolarpanels;measurestheamountofenergy
beingconsumedbythebuildingandthentakesthedifferencefromthegrid.
Onholidaysandweekendswhentheloadofthebuildingislessthanthepower
suppliedfromthesolarpanels,mostoftheenergyissuppliedtothegrid.
Thesystemshouldgenerateapproximately13,895kWhofrenewableenergyper
yearandwouldresultinsavingsofG$914,429peryear.
WhilethetotalcostofthisdemonstrationprojectwasG$7.4million,ifonewereto
removethecostsassociatedwithdemonstration,monitoringandeducation,the
simplepaybackfortheproject,basedonacapitalcostofG$6.3millionwouldbejust
under7years.Solarpanelsusuallyhavealifetimeofbetween15to25years
dependingoncareandmaintenance.
Forthosewhowouldliketosizetheirownsystems,thistranslatesintoanaverage
costofG$745perwattinstalled.

Theestimatedenergyproductionof13,895kWhperyearfromrenewableenergy
wouldresultinthereductionof11,116kgcarbondioxideemissionsperyear.
Currently,thesystemisoperatingonanetmeteringarrangementwithGPLusing
theexistingitronmeter.Amoduleupgradewassourcedandinstalled,allowingthe
existingmetertonowreadenergyreceivedfromthegrid,energysuppliedtothe
gridandnetenergy.
Toassistinachievingtheprojectobjectives,thesystemwascomplementedwitha
fortyinchmonitorthatdisplaystheoperationaldata,includingactualpower
productioninkW,accumulatedenergyproductioninkWhandavoidedcarbon
dioxideemissionsinkg.Realtimepowergenerationandenergyconsumptioncan
beviewedfromtheGEAwebsitewww.gea.gov.gy.Thebenefitsofthisdisplayare


valuedintermsofpromotingawarenesstothepublicandunderstandingthe
accumulatedsavingsovertimeinareaderfriendlyformat.
GEA has been working closely with a number of key stakeholders to explore the
opportunities and gain experience related to the operation of the gridtie system.
SinceSeptember2011,theGEAcommenceddialoguewithGuyanaPowerandLight
Inc., Public Utilities Commission, Government Electrical Inspectorate, Office of the
PrimeMinisterHinterlandElectrificationUnit,EnvironmentalProtectionAgencyand
UniversityofGuyanaFacultyofTechnology.
Dialogue with these stakeholders provided valuable insight for the project and
helpedinformmanyoftheoutcomesthatwerefinallyrealized.
Respondingtoinvitationstooverseeandlearnfromtheinstallationandoperationof
thegridtiePVsystem,afinalyearElectricalEngineeringstudentfromtheUniversity
ofGuyanahasmodeledthesystemforhisfinalyearproject.
While there are two examples of solar PV connected to isolated minigrids at Port
KaitumaandMahdia,forthefirsttimeinGuyana,thisGridTieSolarPhotovoltaic
Demonstration Project provides a working example for the incorporation of

renewable energy technology into the national electric grid using grid feedin
technology.
This arrangement serves as a basis for continued dialogue in areas such as
legislation,tariffconsiderations,standardsandpolicyimplementation.
GEAwouldliketoencourageprivatesectortoseriouslyconsidertheincorporationof
similar systems and would be more than willing to provide advice to interested
parties.