US company conducting feasibility study on waste to energy project

The Hoskinson Group, a leading United States company involved in the conversion of waste to energy, is conducting a feasibility study for a similar project here.

The study is likely to be completed by the end of the year following which a detailed proposal will be submitted to the Guyana Government for consideration, according to a statement from the company’s local representative, Wesley Kirton.

The company’s technology is in use in several waste to energy operations in the United States, Canada and other countries.

Hoskinson’s Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Gustavo Solorzano accompanied by Kirton held a series of fact-finding meetings with several government agencies last week.

Hoskinson is proposing to invest entirely in the project without any requirement of financial investment on the part of the Government.

Its sustainability is dependent on the successful negotiation of a power purchase agreement between the company and GPL as well as a guaranteed supply of a specific volume of waste on a daily basis to the conversion plant.

“We are very encouraged by the initial response of all the stakeholders and now have a basis for moving forward with a detailed proposal for consideration by the Guyana Government,” Mr. Solorzano said.

He added that this project would be a transformational one in terms of the way Guyana handles its waste disposal resulting in significant environmental benefits and financial savings for the country.

“Given Guyana’s projected development in the near and long term the volume of waste is expected to quadruple and this project will provide for tremendous benefits in relation to ensuring clean communities and the reduction in contamination of ground water and air that emanate from landfill operations quite often resulting in illnesses among the population including cancer,” he was quoted saying in the statement.

The officials met with G-Invest, the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA),Guyana Power & Light (GPL), the Ministry of Local Government, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Mayor & City of Georgetown. They also held meetings with Prime Minister Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips, Leader of the Opposition Joseph Harmon and US Ambassador to Guyana Sarah-Ann Lynch.

In addition, the team toured the Haag Bosch landfill at Eccles and the operations of Puran Brothers Inc. on the West Bank of Demerara where discussions were held with officials about the volumes of waste collected and methods of collection and disposal of various categories of waste.