Ghana now has a renewable energy master plan to guide the development and promotion of her renewable energy resources for socio-economic growth and reduction of climate change effects.
When implemented, the framework is expected to aid the country to achieve some targets by 2030, including the reduction of the dependence on biomass as main fuel for thermal energy applications.
It is to help increase the penetration of renewable energy in the national energy generation mix from the 2015 baseline of 42.5 MW to 1363.63 MW (with grid connected systems totalling 1094.63 MW).
Additionally, it is envisaged that renewable energy-based decentralised electrification options would be provided in 1,000 off-grid communities, while local content and participation in the industry would be promoted.
The Executive Secretary of the Energy Commission, Dr Alfred Ofosu Ahenkorah, presented the plan to the Deputy Minister of Energy in charge of Power, William Owuraku Aidoo, in Accra last Wednesday.
These were contained in a statement issued by Ms Praise Nutakor, a Communication Analyst of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which sponsored the development of the plan.
The plan was developed by a local technical team made up of representatives of the Ministry of Energy, Energy Commission, National Development Planning Commission and academia, chaired by Mr Wisdom Ahiataku-Togobo, Director of Renewable and Alternate Energy of the Ministry of Energy.
The development of the master plan, forms part of a broader set of initiatives under the Danish government funded project dubbed, “China-Ghana South-South Cooperation Renewable Energy Technology Transfer”.
The initiative is a collaboration between the government of Ghana represented by the Energy Commission, the Ministry of Science and Technology in China and the UNDP Country Offices in Accra and in Beijing.
Receiving the master plan, Mr Aidoo expressed the ministry’s appreciation to the technical team that developed the plan, and thanked UNDP for providing technical and financial support.
He assured that, the “Ministry would make all efforts to facilitate the presentation of the plan to Parliament for approval to secure the country’s commitment for its implementation in the long term”.
In a remark on behalf of the UNDP, Ms Gita Welch, the acting resident representative, said the plan would scale up investments in and promotion of the renewable energy sector.
“The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 7 aims to ensure access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy for all by 2030. The renewable energy master plan is a blue print and its implementation is critical for the achievement of the SDG 7 in Ghana,” Ms Welch noted.
In a presentation, Eric Antwi-Agyei, Project Coordinator for the UNDP/Energy Commission Renewable Technology Transfer project, disclosed that the plan would support the private sector through concessional financing and government on-lending facilities for renewable energy investments.
It will also boost and sustain local assembling and manufacturing of renewable energy technologies, as well as develop legislation to ensure that increased development of renewable energy projects would not affect the environment.
BY TIMES REPORTER
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