Blackouts be gone!
Alternative energy systems offer independence and reliability to homeowners
Stabroek News
May 7, 2004
Synergy Holdings Inc. has a "macro-dream" to supply hydropower for the whole country. In the meantime it is providing alternative power one house at a time.
Synergy Holdings Inc., Guyana, is a subsidiary of Synergy Holdings Inc of the US, in Loxahatchee, West Palm Beach, Florida which installs solar and wind powered electricity and micro-hydro water systems.
Sales Engineer Gairy Warren, of Synergy Holdings Inc. Guyana, in Campbellville says solar and wind-powered energy is quickly catching on but has a long way to go.
"We are not competition to GPL (Guyana Power and Light)," says Warren.
Synergy, already has a licence from the government and an environmental permit to develop a 100-megawatt hydroelectric project at the Amaila Falls in Region Eight. It is now awaiting a power purchase agreement with GPL in order to access financing.
In the meantime several hinterland areas have already benefited from Synergy energy systems, including the Orealla Primary School which was fitted with solar electricity in 2002.
Paramakatoi is using solar water pumps, Aishalton Primary School and Orealla Secondary School solar electricity and Kato and Mara have in place solar water pumps all installed by Synergy.
When it comes to homes, before each system is installed Synergy does an 'energy audit' to assess all household items which require electric power and designs a system to meet that need.
"The wind power is cheaper than solar [energy]," notes Warren, adding that it is recommended for coastal areas because of the strong winds. One model of wind turbine, the AIR 403 can supply 1450 watts per hour per day with winds of 12 miles per hour while the larger Whisper H175 can supply 3000 watts per hour/day at the same wind speed.
Synergy calculates the cost for a wind-powered system at $350,000 (two wind turbines, an inverter and batteries) and the solar-powered system for $670,000 (including four 120-watt panels, an inverter, a charge controller and batteries).
This would power one 19-inch television, a video cassette recorder operating for 4 hours per day; a small refrigerator (7 cubic feet) operating for 10 hours per day; a tape/CD/radio player operating for three hours per day and three energy savers (bulbs) operating for six hours per day.
A solar system can last for 25 years, while the batteries last 3 to 4 years. The inverter with good care can last up to ten years.
The hydropower system, the Power Pal - Micro Hydroelectric generator, requires a five-foot water drop and if a natural drop is absent then one can be created for this purpose. This can supply 200 watts of power for $136,000, 500 watts for $208,000 and 1000 watts for $308,000.
Synergy has a lay-away plan, where their buyers can make small payments and take home those components which are paid for.
Consumers also have the option to take a loan from the National Bank of Industry and Commerce (NBIC) under their home improvement plan, says Warren. NBIC will offer 75% financing for the systems.
Company officials hope that they will gain more commercial businesses from internet cafes and other businesses dependent on computers. Warren explained that the company's inverters can work simultaneously with power outages and do this "in micros of seconds."