KNUST's School Of Medicine And Dentistry Gets Ultra-Modern Solar System Worth Over $58K From AFREhealth
- KNUST has installed a huge solar energy system to augment its energy mix amid high monthly electricity bills
- The project was installed at the KNUST School of Medicine by the African Forum for Research and Education in Health
- PRO of KNUST Dr Daniel Norris Bekoe has told YEN.com.gh that the solar project is timely and would reduce the university's huge monthly bills
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The School of Medicine and Dentistry of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).has installed a 30-kiloWatt solar system worth $58,690 (about GH¢680,000).
The ultra-modern installation was done by the African Forum for Research and Education in Health Limited by Guarantee (AFREhealth) with funding support from the National Institutes of Health and Fogarty International Centre, USA.
The solar power system was designed by Starsight, a renewable energy company, and was commissioned on Thursday, August 31, 2023.
Source: UGC
The solar project will address climate change concerns
The solar power project forms part of the broader commitment of AFREhealth to addressing climate change and supporting KNUST’s green energy agenda.
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At the event to commission the project on Thursday, Executive Director of AFREhealth, Georgina Yeboah, disclosed the solar power system is in response to the frequent disruptions caused by power outages at the School of Medicine and Dentistry, which houses the AFREhealth Secretariat.
She noted that AFREhealth seeks to enhance healthcare quality and outcomes across the continent through inter-professional collaboration.
She also mentioned the support received from the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ellis Owusu Dabo, Provost of the College of Science, Professor Christian Agyare, and Professor Samuel Kofi Tekyi Newton, the Dean of the School of Public Health and commended Dr Richard Opoku, the University Energy Consultant, and his team for ensuring the successful implementation of the project.
Solar power system will reduce huge electricity bills
Public Relations Officer of KNUST Dr Daniel Norris Bekoe told YEN.com.gh that the monthly electricity bill for the university hovers at around GH¢4.5 million a month, describing it as too high.
He said the huge monthly electricity bills underscore the need for the transition to renewable energy.
"Such a high monthly energy cost can be a significant financial burden, and moving towards renewable energy can not only help reduce these costs but also contribute to environmental conservation and sustainability," he said.
Dr Bekoe said the solar project would be beneficial to explore various renewable energy options, such as solar panels, wind turbines, or even biomass energy, depending on the resources available in the university's vicinity.
"Additionally, implementing energy-efficient practices and technologies across campus can further contribute to energy savings. Overall, this commitment to transitioning to renewable energy is a positive step towards a more sustainable future for the university and the environment," he told YEN.com.gh.
Stakeholders urge Ghana to pursue energy transition in a sustainable manner
In other news, YEN.com.gh reported that experts in the energy sector have advised the government of Ghana against rushing the country's energy transition drive.
The experts drawn from many civil society organisations noted that although countries like the UK and Germany have ambitious transition timelines, Ghana should not feel pressured.
They want Ghana's National Energy Transition Plan to pursue energy that will not make existing fossil fuel assets useless.
Also, after decades of delay, Ghana is now on the move to site a nuclear power plant that would be connected to the national grid by 2030.
In July 2023, YEN.com.gh spoke to an expert at the energy ministry in charge of nuclear energy to ascertain the progress of Ghana's plan to add nuclear energy to its power generation mix
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Source: YEN.com.gh
