Ghana, 16 January 2014 - The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and The Energy Centre conducted the second national stakeholder workshop for the Green Economy and Trade Opportunities Project (GE-TOP) in Ghana, on 16 January 2014 in Kumasi, Ghana. The workshop assembled over 30 national and regional participants from government, energy utilities, energy industry, academia and financing institutions. It served as a forum for presenting and validating the findings of the Solar Export Potential Study (SEPS), and for discussing the GE-TOP Ghana Strategy Proposal.
The National Energy Policy 2010 (NEP), which forms part of the “Ghana Goes Green Growth” framework strategy, encapsulates the vision of an “Energy Economy” in Ghana. It aims to enhance national power generation capacity to 5000 MW by 2015, increase the national share of renewable energy to 10 per cent by 2020 and upscale exports of green energy. The GE-TOP Ghana identifies and assesses opportunities for solar energy exports to the ECOWAS sub-region.
The project is divided into two phases that aim to assess the country’s solar export potential and to gain insights into the contribution of solar exports to its economic growth, employment creation, and climate change mitigation. Under Phase I, the SEPS found that each 100 MW installation of grid-connected solar PV for export can yield environmental (> 40,000 tCO2 emissions savings per year), social (around 3,000 new green jobs) and economic (foreign exchange earnings of up to US$38 million annually) benefits. The study also gives targeted recommendations for technical and financial options for harnessing Ghana’s solar export potential. The foremost policy recommendations are to (i) expand inter-state grid capacity and base load energy supply to balance fluctuating solar power supplies, (ii) promote financial support mechanisms for renewable energy and extend financial incentives for solar PV investors, and (iii) to engage international funds that promote low-carbon and climate-friendly technologies. Based on the SEPS analysis and recommendations, Phase II of GE-TOP Ghana develops a Strategy Proposal for selecting a solar-ready, cross-border grid line between Ghana and Burkina Faso, securing preferential financing and approving installation in order to attract investment into Ghana’s grid infrastructure.
