The President of the Republic Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo announced on Tuesday the commissioning of a new 13 MW solar power project in the Upper West Region of the West African country.
According to Akufo-Addo, the Volta River Authority’s 13 MW Solar Power Project was first envisioned in February 2020, and represents the first phase of what will become a 28 MW solar power plant at Kaleo, Ghana.
Akufo-Addo also revealed during a ceremony to mark the occasion that the construction of another solar power plant, this time with 15 MWs of capacity, has already begun with the help of funding secured from the German Development Bank (KFW). This additional plant is expected to be completed within one year.
The project is in part of the Ghanian government’s commitment to further diversify the country’s energy generation portfolio, and increase the nation’s renewable energy generation mix.
Speaking at the ceremony in Kaleo, the president indicated that the Kaleo Solar Plant, along with on-going interventions in the area of energy efficiency, including the use of natural gas for thermal generation, adoption of cleaner cooking solutions, decarbonisation of oil production, amongst others, is helping Ghana accelerate the attainment of its Nationally Determined Contributions, as presented at COP26 in Glasgow, in the United Kingdom.
“The Akufo-Addo government has invested heavily in the electricity transmission network, which will enable us evacuate more renewable energy through the national grid, to support the extension of electricity to all parts of Ghana,” the president said.
For this reason, he said, the Kaleo plant will send its power, current and future, to the GRIDCo substation at the nearby town of Wa and its over 200,000 inhabitants.
“At peak sun hours, the Kaleo and Lawra plants can meet the entire load at Wa and its environs. This can make Wa the greenest city in Ghana,” Akufo-Addo said.
Currently almost all of Ghana’s commercial production of electricity and its generation assets, with the exception of the Bui Hydro power plant, have been located in the middle and southern parts of the country.
With the Kaleo plant and future projects, the president hopes to bring future power sources closer to the north of the country, opening new avenues of regional development. Ghana’s north is the warmest area of the country, and seems like prime place for more solar initiatives.
Edited by Luis Monzon
Follow Luis Monzon on Twitter
Follow IT News Africa on Twitter
expertstrides