Is coal fired-power plant the panacea to Ghana’s energy deficit?

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Agyeman. 12 years ago

Ghana Inc has no capable management in quasi-govt entities like power companies or airline,in politics or even sports.Thats why our economy is in the hands of multinationals,our airline died and we're now at the mercy of fore ...
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Ghana Inc has no capable management in quasi-govt entities like power companies or airline,in politics or even sports.Thats why our economy is in the hands of multinationals,our airline died and we're now at the mercy of foreign carriers and our politics is made up of briefcase parties with no real ideologies or manifestos.
Pontius Pilate 12 years ago

the writer sounds convincing to me though i have no knowledge in power generation. can the experts add on please.

the writer sounds convincing to me though i have no knowledge in power generation. can the experts add on please.
DAN 12 years ago

Enforce price fixing laws! In usa and europe airlines have been fined by courts for talking to each other and deciding what cargo or plane tix cost...When every airline cost the same to fly thats both price fixing(collusion) ...
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Enforce price fixing laws! In usa and europe airlines have been fined by courts for talking to each other and deciding what cargo or plane tix cost...When every airline cost the same to fly thats both price fixing(collusion) and no competion
DAN 12 years ago

in parts of China you cannot see the sun in day due to pollution..You think mercury is bad now from gold processing, mercury also falls from air from coal burning..Any plant must have 2013 technology nothing older to keep smo ...
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in parts of China you cannot see the sun in day due to pollution..You think mercury is bad now from gold processing, mercury also falls from air from coal burning..Any plant must have 2013 technology nothing older to keep smoke clean! Plus you have to stockpile coal just like firewood.. In america you can see trains 75 cars long (1-2 miles long) loaded with coal going to build stoclpile!
USMAN 12 years ago

Nuke power if handled well is the most effective, reliable and cost efficient way of producing energy. Ghana has the men and women to handle such a project.

Nuke power if handled well is the most effective, reliable and cost efficient way of producing energy. Ghana has the men and women to handle such a project.
THE GERMAN FACT 12 years ago

EUROPEANS AND JAPAN ARE RUNNING AWAY FROM NUCLEAR BUT YOU TALKING ABOUT NUCLEAR? GHANA CAN´T EVEN REPAIRE THEIR ROADS AND YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT NUCLEAR? YOU CAN ASK JAPAN THEY WILL TELL YOU MORE ABOUT NUCLEAR. WHAT GHANA REA ...
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EUROPEANS AND JAPAN ARE RUNNING AWAY FROM NUCLEAR BUT YOU TALKING ABOUT NUCLEAR? GHANA CAN´T EVEN REPAIRE THEIR ROADS AND YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT NUCLEAR? YOU CAN ASK JAPAN THEY WILL TELL YOU MORE ABOUT NUCLEAR. WHAT GHANA REALLY NEED IS SOLAR AND WIND ENERGY WHICH VERY CHEAP AND EASY AND IT WILL ALSO CREATE JOBS FOR THE STUDENTS ON THE STREETS. GHANA SHOULD CONTACT DELIGATION OF GERMAN INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE IN ACCRA, THEY WILL TELL MORE ABOUT WIND ENERGY.
' and Jesus wept ' 12 years ago

I hope Togbui Afede and the Sonon-Asogli entity have extensively probed into all the draw backs that will affect our environment before considering this project. Otherwise I think they are just taking advantage of the nation ...
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I hope Togbui Afede and the Sonon-Asogli entity have extensively probed into all the draw backs that will affect our environment before considering this project. Otherwise I think they are just taking advantage of the nation's acute energy needs to rake in the almighty dollars. Another point is if they have taken the steps to find out from South Africa how they treat the by product of coal (the ashes). Could this by product be applied in any economies of scale? It seems most companies are shying away from solar and wind as other sources of energy to invest in probably due to low returns of profit and the equally low mw power generation. Anyway, all tertiary institutions should have secondary energy source be it solar or bio to supplement the traditional form of power we always rely on.
km agyin 12 years ago

Govt should seek expert advice on this coal thing,it is clearly not a good option due to it's high carbon footprint. We do not have the capacity to deal with its environmental aftermath. Why don't we go on to develop our nuc ...
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Govt should seek expert advice on this coal thing,it is clearly not a good option due to it's high carbon footprint. We do not have the capacity to deal with its environmental aftermath. Why don't we go on to develop our nuclear plant as this is the solution to our perennial power problem and stop these here and there small plants scattered all over the country. We must take the bull by the horn.
Prof 12 years ago

Do we know the energy consumption of America? Do we know that America consumes more energy daily that the whole of Africa and the third world combine? If coal accounts for 37% of American energy consumption then what are we s ...
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Do we know the energy consumption of America? Do we know that America consumes more energy daily that the whole of Africa and the third world combine? If coal accounts for 37% of American energy consumption then what are we saying? Do you know the number of coal plants in the US and they are not complaining?
One coal plant somewhere along the lower Volta will cause no environmental hazard!!! By the way why cant the Government continue their expansion until we have enough energy and discontinue the coal plant. Here we are, no energy, even NDC government cannot construct one gas pipeline until thy kingdom come, and a private investor wants to build one coal factory to light the country and all the Ghanaians book scientists are only looking at the negative side (typical Ghanaian: negative looking) what a mega coal plants generation in China is doing. All the water of the Volta is draining into the sea with no idea of harnessing; why cant we use part of it if what the writer is saying is true?

Or we should continue dumsor dusor until Mahama and his team left for intelligent people to come out with better ideas for Ghana? All the markets will have been burnt down!
Objective 12 years ago

Do we know the energy consumption of America? Do we know that America consumes more energy daily that the whole of Africa and the third world combine? If coal accounts for 37% of American energy consumption then what are we s ...
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Do we know the energy consumption of America? Do we know that America consumes more energy daily that the whole of Africa and the third world combine? If coal accounts for 37% of American energy consumption then what are we saying? Do you know the number of coal plants in the US and they are not complaining? One coal plant somewhere along the lower Volta will cause no environmental hazard!!! By the way why cant the Government continue their expansion until we have enough energy and discontinue the coal plant. Here we are, no energy, even NDC government cannot construct one gas pipeline until thy kingdom come, and a private investor wants to build one coal factory to light the country and all the Ghanaians book scientists are only looking at the negative side.

Objective 12 years ago

No wonder, you can't think right.
Even the way you started, "Sonon-Asogli’s alternative proposal", betrays your bias. What is it an alternative to? How much gas does Ghana have? In case you don't know, the Chinese are the ...
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No wonder, you can't think right.
Even the way you started, "Sonon-Asogli’s alternative proposal", betrays your bias. What is it an alternative to? How much gas does Ghana have? In case you don't know, the Chinese are the most advanced in the use of coal for power generation.
Read the story on this initiative again. It was reported that the company plans to use "desulfurization and electrostatic precipitator devices and technologies" to minimize any environmental impact. Yes, minimize! That right! Even the cars we drive have some negative impact on the environment.
Negative thinker!
KWAKUD 12 years ago

The writing has been on the wall for many years now regarding the dangers of coal use to humans and the environment. Countries with coal reserves have a long history of using coal but they are looking for clean, safe alternat ...
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The writing has been on the wall for many years now regarding the dangers of coal use to humans and the environment. Countries with coal reserves have a long history of using coal but they are looking for clean, safe alternatives so that they can ease out of coal use. And LEAVE the coal in the ground!

Ghana has found oil and gas. We have abundant solar. We can develop these. It needs work, as do most worthy things. Why do we want to ship in coal from somewhere and hang this problem around our necks? Coal SOUNDS like an easy solution, but boy, will it cost us in the long run!
JAMES 12 years ago

The article sound convincing. But let’s take a second look. Firstly do we have enough gas to fire our plants to the level of 5000MW by 2016? I doubt it. Secondly the alternatives are not really viable or otherwise have seri ...
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The article sound convincing. But let’s take a second look. Firstly do we have enough gas to fire our plants to the level of 5000MW by 2016? I doubt it. Secondly the alternatives are not really viable or otherwise have serious concerns. Nuclear carries even greater safety and environmental concerns than coal. Ghana does not have strong wind regimes to justify a major migration towards wind power. Solar is not really a viable option; it is a beneficiary of highly sentimental but not economic argumentation. Hydro potential in Ghana is all but gone. So what do we want?? Continued use of expensive and corrosive crude oil generation?
If the coal is desulphurised, and particulates are filtered and the effluence thoroughly "scrubbed " a
coal plant should be acceptable.
Also from the technical point of view such a large plant, (which we don't have in Gas turbnes) provides system stability.
All thermal plants emit CO2 although admittedly coal is more guilty in that regard. Those who are preaching anti-coal sermons are emitting 1000;s of times the CO2 the Asogli plant would emit. Let’s wise up, COAL IS OK ALL THING CONSIDERED

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Is coal fired-power plant the panacea to Ghana’s energy deficit?

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