Ghana’s power mix to have 10% renewable sources by 2020

Ghana’s power generation mix is expected to include 10 percent of renewable energy sources by 2020.

At a SWITCH Africa green national networking forum in Accra, Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation minister, Professor Frimpong Boateng, pledged to introduce varied sources of renewable energy during his tenure.

Though Ghana has committed to universal electricity access by 2020, the capacity to meet this goal depends on adequate and reliable power supply.

The World Bank and the European Union (EU) have both embarked on several lending options over four decades to support Ghana’s power sector.

The Wholesale Power Reliability Assessment report in 2010, estimated that Ghana loses between 2 and 6 percent of GDP annually due to inadequate and unreliable power supply; hence the need to diversify the energy mix.

In pursuance of this, the 2017 Budget proposed reduction of taxes to facilitate the acquisition and use of green energy.

Professor Frimpong Boateng, promised the use of alternative energy sources by the year 2020 indicating that “it’s the governments commitment to increase the percentage of alternative energy.

For now I think we have the technology to harness wind energy, solar energy and biogas into the national grid.” Ghana’s energy mix currently relies very little on renewable sources.

SWITCH Africa Green Project, developed and funded by the European Union is aimed at supporting African countries in their transition to an inclusive green economy. Apart from various energy sources, locally manufactured green technologies were display at the forum.