Even as Guyana’s hydrocarbon sector experiences significant growth, the Irfaan Ali-led administration remains laser-focused on realizing a diversified energy mix. It intends to achieve this through the utilisation of offshore gas resources as well as harnessing hydro, solar, and wind energy.
In fact, the government has now placed the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project back on the front burner. If realized, this project would leverage 165 MW of the sun’s power, thereby serving as the nation’s largest renewable energy initiative to date.
According to state documents, this Kuribrong River-based project is designed to provide the bulk of Guyana’s baseload renewable power and reduce the country’s reliance on imported heavy fuel oil.
While the Amaila Falls project has seen its fair share of delays, including five years of neglect following the change of government in 2015, President Irfaan Ali and his government have assured that it remains central to the nation’s development agenda.
As such, the Office of the Prime Minister has issued revised proposals that require developers to assume all geotechnical risks and prove strong physical and financial capacity, backed by experience in major hydropower projects. The facility will follow a Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) model, with the developer financing, constructing, and operating the plant before transferring ownership to the state, underscoring the government’s intent to finally bring the project to fruition.
It should be noted that Amaila Falls stands as one pillar of a multi-pronged push to integrate cleaner energy sources into Guyana’s grid. Across the country, the government has identified 33 MW of solar capacity under the GUYSOL programme, along with associated battery storage systems, to provide power to both coastal and interior regions. In the hinterland, smaller hydropower projects, such as the Kumu (1.5 MW) and Moco-Moco (0.7 MW) plants, are being developed to serve remote communities, thereby reducing dependence on costly diesel generation.
“I can say without a shadow of a doubt that we are a global example, a global model, and a global test of what commitment — not only on climate matters, but commitment in our policymaking matrix— because the LCDS has been expanded and integrated into every single one of our development plans,” President Ali said on November 05, during the first Multi-Stakeholder Steering Committee meeting for the implementation of the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030.
The model referenced by the Head of State also recognises Guyana’s commitment to forest conservation, with more than 85% of its land covered by pristine, untouched rainforest. Funds earned through bilateral and commercial agreements are being reinvested in national priorities, including climate adaptation and mitigation, sustainable energy, and development initiatives that support hinterland and Indigenous communities.