NEK representatives, speaking at this year’s Energy Manifesto Dialogue organized by the Institute for Energy Security (IES) in a bid to provide the platform for policy engagements on energy as we get closer to the elections 2020 made it known to participants the current global trend in energy and climate change. Pen platform for panel discussion, collaboration and informative discussion.
Sharing a report by Arena which suggests that renewable will scale up 6 times by 2050 for use in the electricity, industry and transportation sectors, Jasmine Kappiah, who is the Country Representative for NEK invited participants of the dialogue in discussing and seeking means to tap into this growing renewable energy market. There is also the concept of green energy according to her which is also expected to accelerate renewable energy penetration globally. This is an optimal way to allow for a clean energy revolution.
The African continent is blessed with huge renewable energy potential, she said in her presentation. Africa is still referred to as a dark continent with low electrification rate despite having abundance of renewable energy resources. Sub Saharan Africa has an average of a national coverage of 20% of electrification (World bank, 2010).
Ghana however has 85% electrification rate with the remaining being lake side rural communities which are essentially difficult to be connected to the national grid (Energy Commission). Currently renewables energy contribution to Ghana’s generation is 1% with a plan to increase to 10% contribution by 2030.
Currently, Ghana’s electricity mix is dominated by thermal power generated from large fossil fuel-fired power plants. However, climate change is starting to affect hydropower production because of declining river flows.
In increasing Ghana’s electrification rate to 100%, she intimated that Ghana can close the electricity gap through renewable energy intensification as the practice of renewables will position Ghana as a green country, improve economic productivity gain, reduce carbon foot print and also help to fulfil the Paris agreement Ghana signed.
Touching on the need for more attention in the sector, Dr. Kapp, the CEO of NEK said the issue of renewables is not a question of how best we can push renewables but how best politicians will allow its implementation.
Going forward into the election what each party should focus on in the energy sector is the reduction of CO2footprint, strive to achieve and exceed beyond the renewables energy plan and also allow citizen to choose which energy source they want, he added.
The Swiss engineering company NEK has announced its plans to generate 1,000MW of electricity from several wind farms in Ghana.
The independent power producer believes the implementation of this megaproject will serve as incentive to implement Ghana’s plan to transition its electricity supply to 100% renewables by 2040.
NEK’s planned project spans several phases. The first phase is expected to generate 160MW and the second, 75MW. The company has already secured several concessions in Ghana, including in the locality of Amlakpo, more than 80km from Ghanaian capital Accra, where they want to build a 200MW wind farm.
In Ayitepa in the south-east of Ghana, NEK will develop a 225MW wind farm. Studies to construct this facility started in 1998.
The Koluedor Wind Farm project site is located in the Ningo Pram pram, around 70 to 75kms east of Accra. This project should provide 160MW of installed power from 48 turbines. The planned Madavunu Wind Farm in the Ada West District will provide up to 200MW installed power from 60 turbines.
For 8 years now, NEK Ghana is developing a total of five (5) large scale wind parks. The projects will have a total installed capacity around 1000MW and will generate more than 2800GWH of clean, cheap, sustainable and reliable electricity a year for the advantage of the Ghanaian population and industry, and in order to contribute to the fulfilling the Paris climate agreement also signed by Ghana.
The post NEK makes case for renewables at IES Energy Manifesto Dialogue appeared first on The Business & Financial Times.
Read Full Story
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram
Google+
YouTube
LinkedIn
RSS