President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali took his Guyana’s energy balance argument to the world’s top university-based think tank, the Baker Institute, making the case that oil revenue, environmental protection, and economic diversification are not competing forces. Instead, he said, they are the foundation of a new global development model.
The conversation took place during the 2026 Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) at Rice University’s Baker Institute in Houston, Texas, with industry experts, researchers and policymakers in attendance.
President Ali told the gathering that the central challenge before the world is not choosing between oil and renewables, but finding the balance between them.
“We’re trying to be a petro-state that does not become a petro-dominated economy,” he underscored. “We’re trying to use a non-renewable resource to build a renewable future, not just in energy, but in human potential, economic complexity, and national dignity.”
He argued that the global conversation has for too long focused on disincentivising oil and gas rather than on the technology and research needed to reduce its environmental footprint, and that the world must shift from talking about energy transition to pursuing energy balance.
Guyana’s Gas-to-Energy (GTE) project in Wales, West Bank Demerara (WBD), is an important part of the government’s energy plan. When finished, it will reduce carbon emissions, enhance power reliability, and promote industrial growth.
On the other hand, solar farms have been deployed nationwide, with the energy mix tailored to each region based on geography and need.
Hydropower is growing, and investments in wind energy are increasing to diversify renewable sources. The government is improving transmission and distribution networks, investing in smart grid technology, and expanding energy storage to maximise renewable energy potential.
“We see Guyana as utilising this advantage to demonstrate to the world that there is a way in creating a balanced framework for national and global development, that there is a way in which development powered by energy can coexist with environmental stability,” the president argued.
Referring to the world’s top university-based think tank, President Ali acknowledged that “There is no better place to have this discourse than in an academic institution where research and development, data, and analytical skills are sharpened to help policy makers make the best possible decisions.”
The president called on the Institute to partner with Guyana on its bold development pathway.
“Study us and let the world watch us together. Hold us accountable because we are trying something hard,” the president urged.