Page 9 - AfrElec Week 42 2021

AfrElec RENEWABLES AfrElec

Ghana’s government backs

renewable energy drive

GHANA GHANA’S government has pledged support to support them,” he said, according to B&FT.
the state-owned Volta River Authority (VRA) The 7th Ghana Renewable Fair, which cen-
and Bui Power Authority (BPA) to be able to tred on the theme of “Removing barriers to
achieve their full potential in renewable energy, renewable energy development in Ghana,” took
according to Energy Minister Matthew Opoku place on October 12-14. The three-day event was
Prempeh. organised by the Energy Commission in part-
VRA, which currently accounts for about nership with the VRA, Bui Power Authority and
48% of Ghana’s electricity production, is under- the Ministry of Energy.
going diversification into renewable energy, Professor Ebenezer Oduro Owusu, Chair-
including solar and wind energy, as well as elec- man of the Governing Council of the Energy
tric vehicle charging stations. These new facilities Commission, said the Ghana Renewable Energy
will supplement its thermal power plants (TPPs) Fair was designed to provide a platform for col-
and hydroelectric power plants (HPPs). laboration between government, private-sector
So far, the company’s drive into renewable and civil-society organisations for the promo-
energy has encompassed the establishment of 17 tion of renewable energy.
MW of solar generating capacity via the Kaleo Commenting on the event, Opoku Prempeh
and Lawra projects, the Business & Financial said: “I have no doubt that the successes that the
Times (B&FT) newspaper has reported. Ghana Renewable Energy Fair has chalked in
Renewable energy currently accounts for the past six years are as the result of the grow-
2.4% of all power generated in Ghana, and BPA ing interest to decarbonise our planet and limit
has managed to complete the installation of a global warming to well below 2, preferably to
51-MW solar farm in Bui, located within Bono 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial
region. The facility is the first of its kind among levels.”
members of the Economic Community of West In a statement read on his behalf, Ghana’s
African States (ECOWAS) group. President Nana Akufo-Addo said his govern-
The government of Ghana is seeking to push ment was leaving no stone unturned in provid-
the level of domestic energy production up to the ing quality leadership in the country’s quest to
target level of 10% by 2030, in line with the UN’s develop a sustainable energy economy with very
sustainable development goals. few challenges. “It is therefore a laudable idea
Speaking at the 7th Ghana Renewable Fair to have stakeholders in the energy sector come
in Accra organized by the Energy Commission, together every year to deliberate and brainstorm
Opoku Prempeh said Accra was committed to on matters affecting the sector and present
supporting VRA and BPA so that they could concrete measures to address them in order to
reach their highest renewable potential. “I want ensure that industry players truly benefit from
to assure you that the Ministry of Energy would their investment,” he commented..™

Week 42 21•October•2021 www. NEWSBASE .com P9