Ghana close to powering airports with solar energy - Aviation Minister

The major airports in Ghana are soon expected to be fully solar powered, given that the process to roll-out this initiative is in its advanced stage.

The initiative is expected to reduce the cost of power at the beneficiary airports by about 30 percent.

This was made known by Mr. Joseph Kofi Adda, Minister for Aviation during a meeting with the Indian High Commissioner to Ghana, H.E Sugandh Rajaram at the ministry on Wednesday.

Among the proposed airports in Ghana that are to undergo the roll-out of this initiative is the Kotoka International Airport. It is anticipated that a 6 MW PV capacity solar energy plant will be installed with the help of Cochin airport, the world’s first solar airport, located in India, where the use of solar power for airports is increasingly popular.

In 2018, managers of the Cochin airport signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for solar consulting with Ghana.

Mr. Adda said, “A team came down to Ghana and assessed the airports in Ghana to determine the cost and also a financing facility from the Indian-Exim Bank on what they could do with it, nearly about US$ 10 million that would be used to convert all the airports in the country to solar.”

“We have shared the proposal with the minister for finance and if they do find it within the financial arrangement for the year, we would get the approval and we will be able to get cabinet and parliament to get that passed. Once that is passed, it would mean that all our airports will be converted to be solar dependent,” the Minister said.

“So, this is what we are getting from the international alliance agreement, that the president signed in 2017 in India and other facilities alongside as well,” Mr. Adda added.

The Indian High Commissioner said, “We want to work with you in the areas of civil aviation, to deepen our cooperation in terms of training, capacity building as well as civil aviation safety.”

These are good opportunities that the government of Ghana and government of India can collaborate on, Rajaram added.