Ghana to generate power from solar, windmills

Ghana has advanced plans to respond to the challenges of climate change and meet the country’s growing energy needs.

The country will establish a solar park in the northern region of Ghana to generate energy, Minister of Environment, Science and Technology has told ghanabusinessnews.com on the telephone.

Windmills will also be put up in some coastal areas “to generate about 600 megatons of power to supplement the country’s energy needs,” she said.

The Minister hinted ghanabusinessnews.com that, the Ministry is in talks with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to develop renewable energy sources for the country.

Ms. Sherry Ayittey also said the government is in advanced discussions with some companies in Holland and Germany to develop renewable energy sources for Ghana.

She told ghanabusinessnews.com that the companies will be developing technologies to covert the country’s solid and liquid waste into energy.

“Ghana’s low carbon plans are far advanced,” she said.

The Environment Minister indicated that Ghana’s main hydropower source, the Akosombo Dam is suffering the side effects of climate change with drop in its water volume and it is therefore, necessary to look at renewable energy sources.

Energy supply is one of the major challenges to Ghana’s economy.

The country has been experiencing power shortages for some time now. The country’s only hydropower plant at Akosombo is facing perennial water shortages which is affecting  power supply, occasionally plunging the entire country into darkness.

The country has constructed a thermal plant in Takoradi to supplement its power supply needs and there is an ongoing project to build another 400 MW hydropower plant at the Bui dam in the Brong Ahafo region, but a lot more needs to be done to meet the power supply requirements that would bolster economic growth.

And since Ghana discovered oil in 2007, the country has become key to major global players in the oil and gas industry. It is no wonder that power generating companies are also showing interest in the country’s nascent oil and gas industry.

Under Phase One of the Jubilee Field project which is the largest oil field to be discovered in West Africa in the last 10 to 15 years, 120,000 barrels of oil and 120,000 million standard cubic feet of dry gas per day would be produced in 2010.

Production would be increased to 240,000 barrels of oil and 240,000 million standard cubic feet of gas per day under the second phase of the Jubilee Field project which is expected to commence in 2013.

By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi

Ghana to generate energy from solar park in northern region, windmills in coastal areas
Ghana has advanced plans to respond to the challenges of climate change and meet the country’s growing energy needs.
The country will establish a solar park in the northern region of Ghana to generate energy, Minister of Environment, Science and Technology has told ghanabusinessnews.com on the telephone.
Windmills will also be put up in some coastal areas “to generate about 600 megatons of power to supplement the country’s energy needs,” she said.
The Minister hinted ghanabusinessnews.com that, the Ministry is in talks with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to develop renewable energy sources for the country.
Ms. Sherry Ayittey also said the government is in advanced discussions with some companies in Holland and Germany to develop renewable energy sources for Ghana.
She told ghanabusinessnews.com that the companies will be developing technologies to covert the country’s solid and liquid waste into energy.
“Ghana’s low carbon plans are far advanced,” she said.
The Environment Minister indicated that Ghana’s main hydropower source, the Akosombo Dam is suffering the side effects of climate change with drop in its water volume and it is therefore, necessary to look at renewable energy sources.
Energy supply is one of the major challenges to Ghana’s economy.
The country has been experiencing power shortages for some time now. The country’s only hydropower plant at Akosombo is facing perennial water shortages which is affecting  power supply, occasionally plunging the entire country into darkness.
The country has constructed a thermal plant in Takoradi to supplement its power supply needs and there is an ongoing project to build another 400 MW hydropower plant at the Bui dam in the Brong Ahafo region, but a lot more needs to be done to meet the power supply requirements that would bolster economic growth.
And since Ghana discovered oil in 2007, the country has become key to major global players in the oil and gas industry. It is no wonder that power generating companies are also showing interest in the country’s nascent oil and gas industry.
Under Phase One of the Jubilee Field project which is the largest oil field to be discovered in West Africa in the last 10 to 15 years, 120,000 barrels of oil and 120,000 million standard cubic feet of dry gas per day would be produced in 2010.
Production would be increased to 240,000 barrels of oil and 240,000 million standard cubic feet of gas per day under the second phase of the Jubilee Field project which is expected to commence in 2013.

By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi

No Comments
  1. Ansgar Kiene says

    Very good news that Ghana wants to expand their renewable energy (RE) production and not focussing on the potential Oil to produce electricity. I was wondering what energy policy lays behing the RE development and who is financing it?

  2. Nana Kwame Amoah says

    There are companies working hard to promote renewable energy technologies in Ghana, such as Atlas Business and Energy Systems that recently began assembling solar panels locally. I think government should give such companies some pushing. Our energy situation needs to improve if investors will see Ghana as good investment destination

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