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04.04.2014 Regional News

Energy Ministry Rules Out Solar Energy In Addressing The Energy Crisis In Ghana

By Prince Appiah
Energy Ministry Rules Out Solar Energy In Addressing The Energy Crisis In Ghana
04.04.2014 LISTEN

The Energy Ministry is ruling out solar energy as a viable alternative in addressing the Ghana's current energy crisis.

Director of Renewable and Alternative Energy Resources at the Ministry, Wisdom Ahiataku Tagobo, says operating solar plant is an expensive venture, which cannot operate on optimum capacity.

He says tapping into solar energy can contribute little in ending the energy crisis.

“Solar can play a very negligible role either by the individual homes having solar systems when the light goes off in the afternoon but to put up a solar plant to address our solar crisis, I am afraid we may be dreaming.

“If we really want to address our energy crisis then we have to turn our attention to other generation of energy,” he said.

He was speaking at a lecture on sustainable and renewable resources in honour of former Director of the Energy Center in KNUST, the late Professor Abeeku Brew-Hammond.

Mr. Tagobo believes the answer to the energy crisis is resorting to cheaper natural resources and renewable energy.

In February this year, the Energy Commission revealed the country is running below its capacity which has resulted in the second power crisis (“dumso-dumso”) in two years.

Ghana currently runs on 50 per cent hydro energy generation, 49.9 per cent thermal energy whiles less than 1 per cent on renewable resources.

Hydro plants such as Hemang in the West, Pualugu in the North and that of Kumasi are among medium hydro plants in the country currently adamant.

This has prompted calls for the exploration of other sources of energy besides the traditional hydro and thermal generation.

Meanwhile, the 2011 Renewable Energy Law sets a 10 per cent target for renewable energy by 2020.

The energy expert therefore believes there are more cost effective options in seeking to increase the contribution of renewable sources of energy.

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