Guyana plans three utility-scale solar farms – SPE

The government of Guyana has unveiled plans for three utility-scale solar farms in region ten of the country with a cumulative capacity of 15 MW.

The three projects, worth $22.6 million, consist of a 3MW, 4MW and 8MW solar array that will be built on separate sites and will be supported by at least 22MWh of battery energy storage.

The construction of the solar farms is being carried out by a joint venture between SUMEC Complete Equipment and Engineering Co., Ltd., a construction company based in Nanjing, China, and Chinese electrical equipment manufacturer XJ Group Corporation. The work is expected to last 18 months and integration into the electricity system is expected in the first quarter of 2027.

The project is being implemented under the Guyana Utility Scale Solar Photovoltaic Program, which aims to build 33 MW of utility-scale solar farms with associated battery storage in regions two, five, six and ten of the country. It is operated by energy company Guyana Power and Light, together with the Guyana Energy Agency.

A statement on the government’s website says the program aims to reduce government subsidies, reduce dependence on fossil fuel power generation and improve electricity services to support new infrastructure.

Guyana is also supporting the development of residential solar energy through its Solar Photovoltaic Home Energy Systems project, which has added since July last year 4.8 MW of installed capacity in the country’s ten administrative regions since its launch in July 2023.

Last August, the government announced that Leguan Island had done so assured energy independence thanks to the commissioning of a 0.6 MW grid-forming solar park linked to 1.2 MWh of battery storage.

According to statistics from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Guyana’s cumulative solar capacity stood at 17 MW at the end of 2024.

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