Stabroek Market gets solar powered lights

The Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), over the past few weeks, has installed 12 solar powered street lights around the Stabroek Market square area.
The eastern facade of the Market was also outfitted with energy-efficient lights.
According to GEA Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Mahender Sharma, the project cost some G$9,611,000.

“This project is in keeping with the Government of Guyana’s ‘Green Initiative’, which is in keeping with the Agency’s vision to provide reliable energy in an environmentally, socially and sustainable framework,” Dr Sharma noted.
Head of the Project, Kenny Samaroo, explained that LED technology was more efficient than fluorescent (CFL) technology, and the change would result in an almost 50 per cent reduction in energy consumption.
Moreover, Samaroo noted that based on the existing street lights tariff, the 12 solar powered street lights will result in annual energy savings of about 4205 kilowatt hour (kWh), resultant annual cost savings of about G$184,170 and 2523 kilogram of avoided CO2. The computed simple payback period, when compared to a similar installation using utility powered 80W LED lamps, is six years.
The second component of the intervention will result in annual energy savings of about 19,710 kWh, resultant annual cost savings of about G$1,321,950 and 11,826 kg of avoided CO2. The computed simple payback period is 1.6 years.
“The initiative was in keeping with the Agency’s mandate to carry out research into all sources of energy, including those sources presently used in Guyana, for the generation of energy and securing more efficient utilisation of energy and sources of energy…,” Samaroo explained.
Another component of the project was the replacement of the 750 compact fluorescent lamps that lined the eastern facade of the Market, with 7-Watt LED bulbs.
The lights are controlled by a light sensitive circuit, which switches the lights on in the evenings and turns them off at dawn. As part of the energy conservation features of the initiative, the technology dims the lights by 50 per cent when motion is not detected and it returns to 100 per cent brightness when motion is detected.
One advantage of the systems, Samaroo added, is that the lights are not powered by the utility, thereby avoiding the use of fossil-based energy from the grid and the associated costs.
The GEA will continue to monitor the installations and provide technical support and maintenance.