Deputy Chief Executive of the Volta River Authority (VRA), Ebenezer Tagoe says VRA is set to roll out renewable energy projects among others within the next five years including “60MW Hydro and 50MW Solar PV Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam Project, 60MW Floating Solar PV on the Kpong Head Pong and 75MW Wind Power Project Phase-1”.
He also disclosed that VRA has successfully undergone a Financial Recovery Programme and has transitioned into a sustainability plan which has “renewable energy and conversion of our simple cycle thermal plants to combined cycle as key elements for driving down our cost and carbon footprint.”
Mr. Tagoe disclosed this at the 7th Ghana Renewable Energy Fair 2021 in Accra which was organized by the Energy Commission under the theme, “Removing Barriers to Renewable Energy Development in Ghana”.
Minister of Energy, Dr. Opoku Prempeh disclosed that the government is exploring critical growth sectors of the economy to spur demand for electrical power in the country as a measure to address the excess generation capacity constraints.
“The promotion of the Drive Electric Initiative (DEI) would create product demand in our electricity sector and increase demand for both grid and off-grid renewable energy power systems in the country adding that the sector Ministry will collaborate with the Ministries of Finance and Transport to ensure that the needed fiscal incentives are provided for the DEI, especially a scheme to grant tax waivers on electric vehicles,” he said.
He also indicated that the amended Renewable Energy Act, (Act 1045) encourages small scale self-generation and net-metering renewable energy projects to help streamline the deployment of decentralized and distributed renewable energy generation.
Dr. Prempeh said the country’s medium to long term goal was to increase the contribution of renewable energy from the current 120 megawatts (MW) installed capacity representing 2.4 percent of the generation mix to more than 1000 (MW) thus, attain a minimum of 10 percent contribution to renewable energy in the generation mix by 2030.
Speaking on behalf of President Akufo Addo, Sanitation and Water Resources Minister, Cecilia Abena Dapaah lauded the Energy Commission for instituting the Senior High School Renewable Energy Challenge and charged them to ensure that the winning project is taken up and developed further in order to make it marketable adding that “we should in the very near future see this Challenge produce a breakthrough project that shall make it to the global level,” emphasized.
Madam Abena Dapaah also said the government was leaving no stone unturned in providing leadership in the country’s quest to develop a sustainable energy economy with very few challenges adding that although the COVID – 19 has hampered businesses and other efforts, innovation was needed to compete in the global market and therefore urged participants to come out with tangible solutions that would help remove the barriers facing the development of renewable energy. Meanwhile, the three days Ghana Renewable Energy Fair comprises a conference, an exhibition of innovation and the final competition of the Senior High School Renewable Energy Challenge.
