‘From Under 200 to Nearly 1,100 EVs’: Guyana Commissions First Solar-Powered EV Charging Station at UG Turkeyen Campus Under US$327K Clean Energy Initiative

By Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News |

TURKEYEN, GREATER GEORGETOWN — Guyana took a major technological stride toward decarbonising its national transport sector on Thursday with the official commissioning of the country’s first solar-powered electric vehicle (EV) charging facility at the University of Guyana (UG) Turkeyen Campus.

The project was executed through an inter-agency collaboration between the Government of Guyana, the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Board of Industrial Training (BIT), and the university administration.

Financed under the Just Energy Transition (JET) Seed Funding Initiative via the United Nations Joint SDG Fund, the project represents a combined investment of approximately G$68.3 million (US$327,642)—comprising a US$250,000 (G$52.1M) grant from the UNDP alongside G$16.2 million in government co-funding.

Delivering the feature address, Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips underscored that electric mobility has moved from a theoretical concept to an active pillar of the nation’s energy transition under the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030. The Prime Minister revealed that Guyana’s EV fleet has surged by over 450 per cent in just two years, leaping from fewer than 200 vehicles in late 2024 to nearly 1,100 registered electric vehicles today.

Engineering Capacity: Guyana’s Most Powerful Public Fast Charger

Detailing the engineering specifications of the facility, Chief Executive Officer of the GEA, Dr. Mahender Sharma, confirmed that the Turkeyen installation is currently the highest-rated and most powerful public EV charging station in the country:

• 60 kW Dual-Vehicle Charging: The station features a commercial-grade 60-kilowatt (kW) DC fast charger capable of charging two electric vehicles simultaneously.
• Solar-Grid Hybrid Infrastructure: The charging equipment is housed beneath a purpose-built carport integrated with a 15 kW grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) system and five storage batteries.
• GPL Net-Billing Integration: Under a net-billing arrangement with the Guyana Power and Light (GPL), solar energy generated on-site primarily powers the charging units during peak daylight hours, with excess generation fed back into the national grid. When solar output drops or high-draw charging demands require it, supplemental electricity is drawn seamlessly from the utility.
• Cost Efficiency: Dr. Sharma pointed out that the carport structure and grid interconnection cost totaled G$6.93 million, bringing the average structural and equipment deployment cost to G$13.09 million per unit for the primary physical build-out.

“This station would be the highest rated. It would be at 60 kilowatts. It would be the most powerful public EV charger that is out there at least at this point in time, and that is capable of charging two electric vehicles simultaneously.” — Dr. Mahender Sharma, CEO, Guyana Energy Agency

Building Local Human Capital: 2 National Curricula and Green Jobs

Addressing attendees, Acting United Nations Resident Coordinator Katy Thompson highlighted that the Turkeyen station is the flagship of four solar-powered EV charging hubs being rolled out across Guyana, including upcoming installations at technical facilities such as the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) in Tuschen, Region Three:

• Workforce Upskilling: The program moved beyond civil infrastructure to build human resource capacity, training 24 certified technicians and master trainers from across six administrative regions in solar installation, EV charging station maintenance, and diagnostics.
• Women in Energy: Thompson and Prime Minister Phillips commended the program’s inclusive gender focus, noting that nine women successfully certified as technicians in renewable energy and electric mobility.
• National Curricula Institutionalised: The initiative formalized two national technical training curricula through BIT to support vocational academies in sustaining a pool of certified EV mechanics and electricians nationwide.
• UNDP Operational Fleet: To reinforce its institutional support, the UNDP added a dedicated electric vehicle to its local fleet to support ongoing project logistics.

“We are also developing the skills needed to support this emerging sector… This project forms part of the energy transition… making progress here in Guyana.” — Katy Thompson, Acting UN Resident Coordinator

Prime Minister Phillips: Living Lab for Engineers and Future Innovators

Prime Minister Phillips noted that positioning the flagship charging facility on the university campus provides an educational asset beyond basic refueling:

• Living Laboratory: The Prime Minister emphasized that having the 60 kW charger on campus allows engineering and technology students to transition from abstract theory to hands-on diagnostic application with commercial high-voltage renewable systems.
• National Policy Incentives: The installation complements broader state fiscal incentives, including the removal of customs duties and taxes on electric passenger vehicles and accelerated corporate tax write-down allowances intended to spur private adoption.

“Where is it better to provide the infrastructure? Right here at the University of Guyana campus… where our technicians and future engineers will not only have theoretical development, but a living, practical example of how renewable energy can be used by people every day.” — Prime Minister Mark Phillips

Officials confirmed that more than 200 successful charging cycles had already been executed at the Turkeyen station during trial runs leading up to Thursday’s ceremonial ribbon-cutting, establishing a benchmark for green transport across the country.

The video below showcases how modern solar-powered DC fast-charging carports function and balance bidirectional energy flows between electric vehicles and the power grid.