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The Government of Guyana, the Private Sector Commission and GGGI meet to discuss business opportunities for Solar PV in Guyana

Georgetown, Guyana – Thursday, 8 March 2018 – The Government of Guyana, a founding member of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) through its Focal Point Office, the Department of Environment (DOE) along with the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) and the Private Sector Commission, in partnership with GGGI hosted a half-day workshop today.

The workshop was aimed at identifying business opportunities for the increased utilization of Solar Photovoltaic (PV) systems in meeting Guyana’s energy demand as Guyana moves to transition to 100% renewable energy in the public sector by 2025.  The objective of the workshop was to present successful international implementations of solar PV projects and their applicability in Guyana. The workshop also discussed proven business models that are being used in emerging markets and their potential viability. Globally, the falling prices of Solar PV has reduced the cost of electricity making it an attractive solution for industries and businesses to utilize their rooftop space for solar installations.

The workshop was held at the Pegasus Hotel with over fifty (50) participants from industries and businesses, and initiated the discussions on suitable business models for scaling up the solar PV market in Guyana. GGGI has also pledged its support by assigning an Energy Engineer who will be attached to the GEA. This engineer will provide technical assistance/support to private sector companies to assess and design solar PV installations. GGGI is also looking to provide support for mobilizing financing to support the scaling up of renewable energy in Guyana.

This workshop is not only timely but is critical as Guyana is developing its Green State Development Strategy which will see our country’s transition to a Green Economy which will require Public/Private Partnership for its successful implementation. The Strategy is guided by six principles, among which is decarbonization and climate resilience, with Energy being a focus area for moving Guyana forward. The GSDS is expected be a model that can be implemented in other Caribbean countries. This transition will see Guyana seeking to provide affordable, reliable and renewable/clean energy through the increase uptake of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency technologies/measures.

Additionally, in creating a green economy through the scaling up renewable energy sources and in this case solar PV systems, there will be a clean and healthy environment, reduction to Guyana’s fuel import bill as well as economic benefits and the creation of investment opportunities for the business community.

GGGI is an intergovernmental organization based in Seoul, South Korea that supports developing countries to transition to a model of economic growth that is environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive. GGGI delivers programs in 25 partner countries with technical support, capacity building, policy planning & implementation, and by helping develop and mobilize financing for bankable green investment projects. To learn more about GGGI, see https://gggi.org and visit us on Facebook and Twitter.

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For more information, contact:

The Department of Environment: 223-6313-4 ext 108

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