This week, at Guyana’s National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), the tenders that were submitted by six companies to supply and deliver electric vehicle charging stations were finally opened.
According to the board minutes posted on NPTAB’s website, the companies include a fusion of local and regional ones, namely – United Independent Petroleum Marketing Company Limited T.T; BM Soat Auto Sales; Excel Logistics and Management Services Guyana Incorporated; Apan Energy Services Incorporated; Beta Group Guyana Incorporated; and Tels Engineering Services.
According to the bidding documents, these stations will serve as a pilot project whereby they will be used for commercial operations across the coastal regions of Guyana, namely in regions Three, Four and Six.
The chargers to be delivered should require an activation process to initiate charging. This can be with a radio frequency identification (RFID) card or smartphone app, often linked to an account which has been set up beforehand, or a cloud-based platform or network offering access via an app and/or RFID card launch charging. Once activated, the unit will conduct further connection and account checks before commencing the charge of the vehicle. Charging tariffs will be applied at a cost per energy consumed (dollars per kWh). Alternatively, a price per charging time (dollars per hour) can also be used as a set fee for a charging session.
The supplier is also required to provide training in installation best practices, rate setting, network management, operations, and maintenance of the charging stations. For an efficient payment system, the tender requires that the supplier provide a localised platform in Guyanese dollars. In addition to the supply and delivery of the new charging stations, the bidder will also be required to provide all technical documentation including manuals and direction of installation over to the GEA; and provide after-sales services to the agency for at least three years after the supply of goods.
The government, under its new and expanded Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030, sees it as important to put measures in place to ensure the smooth use of electric vehicles in Guyana. Low-carbon technologies within the transport sector are an important component of Guyana’s LCDS and complement related programmes in areas of cleaner power generation and nature-based solutions.
