Solar Power: Ghana’s Energy Paradigm

Population and economicgrowth increase in any nation necessitates huge amounts of energy for its sustenance. Realistic proof from stable economies have revealed the close link amongst economic growth and energy demand.

It’s glaringly evident thatthe rate of energy demand in developing economies such as Ghana have since been higher than the norm.Today, key urban and peri-urban settlements in Ghana as well people in big cities such as Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi et al, all struggle with the most basic energy needs using electricity.

Statistics have it that the rate of growth of Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) since 1985 has been between 3.5% – 6%, yet over the same period according to Ghana Energy Commission, the demand for electricity had grown at the rate of 10% – 14% per annum.

Ghana is a country that has unbelievable Solar Energy potential, thus, our perennial energy shortage makes it imperative to tap the Solar Potential to meet our several energy needs.Thisdemand-supply gap of the total energy demand trend is significant in the electricity segment that is heavily dependent on hydropower thermalenergy.

Sadly, solar energy sources contribute only 0.1%(on-grid+ off-grid) of the total installed capacity of the total installed power capacity of 2104.5 MW in Ghana. (VRA: Facts & Figures)

Table 1: Solar Potential in Ghana.
The solar energy potential in Ghana is colossal,attributable to our location in Sub-Saharan African region. Ghana receives nearly 2377 hours of sunshine every year, which is equivalent to 3960 trillion kWh of energy.

As shown in table 1, Ghana can generate over 143 million Units of Solar Power annually, which is enough to service the entire annual power demand projection for the next 50years and over.

In considering this huge potential, I believe with all my heart that if government rolls out various policies and subsidy schemes to encourage growth of the Solar Industry, which is has already experienced exponential growth in many countries during these recent times, DumsorDumsorwill be fixed as The President has vowed.

In recent years, the conventional energy paradigm has rapidly lost ground in comparison to the concept of sustainable development, as it is based on the intensive use of nonrenewable fossil fuels, causing environmental degradation and posing global energy security risks.

Thus, a modification in our energy paradigm is necessary. This new energy paradigm resonates with The 2015 Africa Progress Report dubbed “Seizing Africa’s Energy and Climate Opportunities”.

The fossil fuel tradition considers only the magnitude of energy consumed per capita as an indicator of the country's "progress," but it does not take into consideration the social, environmental, and security impacts of energy consumption. With this paradigm based on increased consumption of fossil fuels, the resulting environmental, social and economic costs, are gigantic.

Theparadigm shift in the goals of energy policy is taking place-towards security of supply and climate change. Transition to a sustainable energy system is one of the critical challenges humankind faces in the new millennium.

Picture a:Average solar Irradiation Ghana
The paradigm shift is primarily occurring in developed countries but extending to developing countries. Depending on the ongoing paradigm change, renewable energy policy is evolving rapidly in most countries.

Global investment in renewable energy is increasing rapidly in a number of developed and developing countries. Technological advancing in renewable energy has emerged as an opportunity for developing countries.

The total annual radiation from the sun is more than 7500 times the world’s annual total primary energy consumption.

Additionally, the sub-Saharan Africa is perfectly poised to tap into this vast solar potential as studies have shown we have some of the highest global levels of sunshine, The World Bank and IMF estimates that 600million Africans are without access to grid electricity.

The paradigm shift comes from the fact that we are talking of about 30million people in the country in the next few years, and it seems to me, the time looks very tight to prepare for this 30million of people.

Either, this 30million will be killed through the alteration of war or calamities, or affordable and sufficient water, food and energy supplies, as well as a stable economy are used as indispensable pre-condition for civilized life in this country.

We need to be always mindful of the Complentarity between Human Warming and Global Warming, but whether it is politically acceptable, is also a question of Egocentrism versus Compassion.

Do we want to live in a caring country or do we want to live in a country of vested interest?

MaxmillianKwarteng
Gramax Energy
[email protected]
0203369968/0249294482

2015-06-17 170755