Page 20 - Apmor 2018

energy country profile

Ghana Joins the By Shadow Governance Intel

Renewable Race

Solar power plant

ver the past several decades, Ghana about 2,930MW, including 1,380 MW of part in developing the country’s wider
has emerged as a potentially highly hydro generation, (of which only about 700 energy sector. While renewable sources
Oattractive destination for foreign MW is actually available) and 1,550 MW of only account for less than 1 percent of the
investment, boasting an abundance of raw thermal generation capacity. In reality, actual country’s total generation at present, the
materials and proven political stability. availability rarely exceeds 2,100 MW, resulting government is targeting a minimum of 10
in approximately 400 MW of unmet demand percent of Ghana’s generation capacity to
However, a chronic shortage of reliable power, daily. come from renewable sources by 2020.
coupled with the associated negative business
and economic effects, continues to remain a This environment, in which demand outweighs The government has made it clear
significant obstacle to Ghana’s socio-economic supply, results in erratic electricity distribution that there are several areas in which
development. and frequent power cuts. Notably, access to investors could consider investing,
electricity is only around 72 percent with over including production, transportation,
On the other hand, this precise issue offers 87 percent for urban areas and just under 50 storage, distribution, sale and marketing.
investment opportunities for independent percent for rural areas. Furthermore, business opportunities,
power producers (IPPs), particularly those also exist in importation, exportation and
involved in the renewables sector. Ghana’s electricity demand is growing at about re-exportation as well as installation and
10 percent every year, and it is estimated that
Where Things Stand at Present the generation capacity will need to increase maintenance.
At present, Ghana’s energy sector remains to about 4,200 MW by 2026 to meet this • Hydropower
heavily dependent on biomass and oil, which trend, highlighting the potential opportunities Accra has estimated that there are about
account for about 90 percent of the country’s for increased investment in the country’s 17 medium and 22 mini/small hydropower
primary energy supply. Biomass, including overwhelmed energy sector. sites in Ghana, which have exploitable
wood fuel and charcoal, is primarily used to The Resources capacities ranging from 15 kW to 100
meet household energy requirements, while MW, and a total exploitable capacity of
oil is largely used by the transport and power • Renewables approximately 800 MW. Notably, while
generation sub-sectors. Ghana is well endowed with renewable little actual data is available as to the actual
energy resources – including biomass, viability of these sites, several initiatives
In addition, hydropower is another important solar, wind, wave and hydro – and launched by the government and other
resource for electricity generation. Ghana’s the government has made clear that international partners have begun to
installed generation capacity is currently renewable resources will play an important assess these issues.

20 | AFRICAN POWER Mining & Oil Review Vol 21, Issue 20, 2017