Solar Power Established In Upper West: Akufo-Addo Commissions 13MW Project

• Ghana is making steady progress with its vision to include clean energy in its generation mix
• On Tuesday, president Akufo-Addo commissioned a 13MW solar power plant in the Upper West Region
• The president said the project is the first phase of a 28MW plant and it reflects his administration’s commitment to diversifying Ghana’s energy generation mix

President Nana Akufo-Addo on Tuesday, August 23, 2022, commissioned a 13MW solar power project in the Upper West Region barely two years after the project started.

According to Akufo-Addo, the Volta River Authority (VRA) project, the first phase of a 28MW plant at Kaleo, reflects his administration’s commitment to diversifying Ghana’s energy generation mix.

He said the project would support a national drive to increase Ghana’s renewable energy generation mix.

Speaking at the ceremony in Kaleo, in the Upper West Region, during his tour of the region on August 23, the president said that the Kaleo Solar Plant and other interventions would advance Ghana’s bid to attain its Nationally Determined Contributions, as presented at COP26 in Glasgow, in the United Kingdom.

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The other interventions include, the decarbonisation of oil production, using natural gas for thermal generation, and adopting cleaner cooking methods among others.

“The Akufo-Addo government has invested heavily in the electricity transmission network, enabling us to evacuate more renewable energy through the national grid to support the extension of electricity to all parts of Ghana.

“For this reason, Kaleo has a dedicated transmission line that evacuates power from the current and future solar capacity at Kaleo to the GRIDCo substation at Wa,” the president said.

He said the new plant could meet the power demand of Wa and its environs at peak sun hours.

Since 1961, when the nation started commercial electricity production, almost all the generation assets, except the Bui Hydropower plant, have been located in the middle and southern parts of the country.

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The new plant is seen as a good move to expand key infrastructure to the north of the country. which remains deprived in terms of infrastructure.

The president revealed that another 15MW solar plant has started in the area. He added that funding for the project has been secured from the German Development Bank (KFW) and is expected to be completed within one year.

Stakeholders Urge Ghana To Pursue Energy Transition In A Sustainable Manner

In a separate story, YEN.com.gh reported that Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the energy sector have urged the Ghana government to be strategic about the country’s shift from fossil fuels to clean energy.

At a weeklong energy dialogue held at the behest of the National Energy Transition Committee in Accra, stakeholders acknowledged the recent global push for the accelerated energy transition. Notable among the big movers in the energy transition trend is the UK government, which has pledged not to support funding for oil and gas projects by 2030.

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The UK has also adopted a policy to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in the country around the same time.

Source: YEN.com.gh