‘Solarising’ the 24 Hour Economy programme

By Sheldon K. AMBAAH

Ghana’s emerging 24-Hour Economy initiative represents a transformative shift in national productivity, industrial capacity, and service sector competitiveness. As the country pursues uninterrupted economic activity across manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, agriculture, retail and public services, energy reliability becomes the most decisive factor for success. Continuous operations demand an energy system that is stable, cost efficient, secure, and environmentally sustainable. The current dominance of grid supplied electricity, coupled with recurrent cost pressures and occasional capacity constraints, places a structural limitation on Ghana’s ability to maintain competitiveness in a constantly operational economy.

The strategic deployment of solar energy within the 24-Hour Economy framework offers a technically viable and economically superior solution. With high solar irradiation levels across the country, Ghana possesses a natural comparative advantage that remains under exploited.

Solarising Twenty-Four Hour Economy infrastructure reduces dependency on the national grid, enhances energy reliability, diversifies supply, moderates long term operational expenditure, and aligns with national commitments to climate resilient development. This article analyses the technical, economic, policy, and productivity dimensions of integrating solar energy systems into the proposed 24-Hour Economy programme, offering a comprehensive argument for the central role of solar power in supporting round the clock operations.

Solar resource potential and technical feasibility

Ghana lies within a high solar irradiation corridor, receiving an annual average between 4.5 and 5.6 kilowatt hours per square metre daily depending on region. These levels place the country among the most technically advantageous locations in West Africa for photovoltaic deployment. Compared with other renewable options, solar is modular, rapidly deployable, and geographically flexible. This makes it especially suitable for decentralised power supply across commercial zones, industrial parks, agricultural estates, municipal facilities, and energy intensive service delivery environments.

The 24 Hour Economy demands consistent energy availability during daytime and nighttime periods. Technically, this requires the adoption of combined solar and battery systems that can provide peak generation during sunlight hours and stored dispatchable energy at night. Advances in lithium iron phosphate battery systems, improved cycle efficiency, reduced degradation rates, and declining costs have enhanced the viability of solar storage solutions even for medium and large scale industrial and commercial operations.

The integration of solar with mini grid and micro grid architectures further strengthens technical reliability. When configured into hybrid systems, solar installations can support critical processes even during grid disturbances through automatic switching, load balancing, and real time energy management.

This reduces downtime and protects equipment sensitive to voltage variations. With proper inverter sizing, power conditioning equipment, smart metering, and supervisory control and data acquisition integration, solar systems can achieve utility grade stability suitable for continuous operations in factories, retail chains, hospitals, transport terminals, and public sector facilities.

Economic rationale for solar integration

The economic argument for solarising Ghana’s 24 Hour Economy is anchored on two primary considerations, namely reducing long term energy costs and enhancing competitive advantage. Grid electricity tariffs for commercial and industrial consumers have risen in recent years due to underlying generation costs, fuel price fluctuations, operational inefficiencies, and financial sustainability mechanisms within the power sector. For enterprises operating throughout the day and night under the new national economic model, the cumulative energy expenditure becomes a determinant of profitability.

Solar power presents a cost structure that differs substantially from the grid. Once installed, solar photovoltaic systems have minimal operational and maintenance costs and no fuel cost exposure. The levelized cost of solar energy in Ghana has fallen consistently over the past decade due to global manufacturing improvements, economies of scale, and increased competition. For medium and large facilities, solar can displace a significant portion of grid energy consumption, thereby reducing overall tariff exposure. When combined with storage, solar becomes a controllable and predictable cost component, which improves financial planning for continuous production cycles.

Additionally, solar deployment enhances resilience against potential tariff escalations and supply constraints. In a 24- Hour Economy, any disruption in energy supply translates directly into lost productivity. By reducing dependence on the national grid, solar systems insulate enterprises from external cost pressures. Over the lifespan of solar installations, which often exceed 25 years, the cumulative savings become substantial.

Solar deployment also has positive macroeconomic implications. Reduced reliance on thermal generation lowers the national fuel import bill and shortens foreign exchange exposure. The savings contribute indirectly to currency stability, which benefits the broader investment environment for the 24- Hour Economy. Moreover, large scale solar adoption stimulates domestic value creation in installation services, engineering companies, manufacturing of ancillary components, and local employment in maintenance and system optimisation.

Productivity gains from reliable renewable power

Productivity is the central pillar of the 24-Hour Economy concept. For continuous operations to translate into increased output, the energy supply must be dependable, low risk, and cost efficient. Solar systems supported by storage increase productivity by reducing downtime that would otherwise occur from grid disturbances or peak load constraints.

Manufacturing plants benefit most from stable voltage and uninterrupted operations. Sudden power outages can damage equipment, disrupt sensitive continuous processes, and lead to material wastage. Solar powered hybrid systems allow smooth switching and voltage optimisation, ensuring that production lines maintain operational integrity. The long-term result is a measurable reduction in operational losses and improved asset utilisation rates.

Service based enterprises such as retail centres, banks, hospitality businesses, and digital service providers require reliable energy for lighting, cooling, security, and information systems. Solar power integrated with smart energy management reduces reliance on diesel generators, which continue to be a major cost component for businesses that operate for extended hours. Eliminating generator dependence reduces operational noise, environmental pollution, and fuel logistics challenges, which indirectly enhances the working environment and overall productivity.

In agriculture, extended post harvest processing, cold storage, and irrigation activities under a 24-Hour economy are more feasible with decentralised solar energy. Cold chain facilities that operate continuously benefit from predictable energy costs, while agro-processing plants reduce losses associated with spoilage during power interruptions. Solar powered mechanisation improves labour productivity and increases the competitive position of Ghana’s agricultural exports.

Policy alignment and government priorities

Solarising the 24-Hour Economy aligns strongly with Ghana’s policy direction in energy diversification, climate resilience, and sustainable development. The Renewable Energy Master Plan emphasises solar as a priority technology for increasing the share of renewables in the national energy mix. The framework for energy transition developed by the Ministry of Energy recognises solar integration as a fundamental driver for decarbonisation and energy security.

The government’s ambitions to expand production, stimulate private sector growth, and enhance competitiveness depend on an enabling energy environment. Under a 24- Hour Economy, solar power acts as a complementary resource that reduces strain on existing grid infrastructure. Peak demand pressures are moderated when large commercial and industrial facilities use self generated solar energy during the day. This creates headroom for the grid to supply essential services, residential consumers, and sectors less capable of deploying their own solar systems.

The National Climate Change Policy and the Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement emphasise greenhouse gas reduction and climate adaptability. Solar energy reduces emissions from thermal generation and diesel generator use. By integrating solar into the 24- Hour Economy, Ghana strengthens its compliance obligations while improving environmental quality in industrial and commercial centres.

The government can also leverage several policy instruments to accelerate solar adoption, including feed in tariffs for surplus power exported to the grid, tax relief on renewable energy equipment, green credit financing, risk sharing mechanisms, and public private partnership models. The 24- Hour Economy provides a structured platform for implementing renewable energy solutions at scale.

Technical design considerations for solarised facilities

Designing solar systems for 24-Hour operations requires careful attention to load profiles, system sizing, and equipment configuration. Daytime consumption is typically dominated by cooling, lighting, and production processes, while night time consumption includes security operations, essential machinery, refrigeration, and continuous services.

Solar photovoltaic modules must be sized to meet a significant portion of daytime load while simultaneously charging battery systems for night time use. For large facilities, this requires detailed load analysis using energy management software and real time monitoring. Inverters must be appropriately rated to handle peak loads and incorporate advanced power electronics for voltage regulation, harmonic distortion control, and frequency synchronisation.

Battery storage design should consider depth of discharge, charge cycles, operating temperature, redundancy, and inverter compatibility. Lithium iron phosphate systems are recommended due to their stability, longer cycle life, and lower maintenance burden. Hybrid inverters and smart controllers play a central role in balancing solar generation, grid supply, and battery discharge. They enable seamless switching between energy sources without interruption.

Structural considerations include optimal panel tilt, shading analysis, roof load capacity, and the potential need for ground mounted systems in industrial parks. Dust accumulation, especially in dry regions, affects system efficiency and requires scheduled cleaning. Temperature extremes can reduce performance, making ventilation and proper panel spacing important. These technical considerations ensure that solar systems remain durable, efficient, and capable of supporting continuous operations.

Environmental and social benefits

Solarising the 24- Hour Economy generates significant environmental and social gains. Reduced dependence on diesel generators lowers particulate emissions, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and greenhouse gases. Clean energy adoption improves air quality in commercial zones and industrial districts, reducing public health risks. Communities situated near high activity areas benefit from reduced noise pollution associated with generator use.

The development of solar facilities encourages the expansion of local technical expertise. Training programmes in solar installation, system design, energy auditing, and maintenance create employment opportunities for engineering graduates, technicians, and skilled tradespeople. The renewable energy value chain supports local manufacturing of frames, mounting structures, cables, and protective equipment.

Environmentally, solar infrastructure reduces stress on natural ecosystems by lowering fuel extraction pressures and minimising environmental degradation associated with oil and gas production. Sustainable industrial operations support responsible resource utilisation, which aligns with Ghana’s environmental protection objectives.

Strategic recommendations for national scale deployment

To maximise the benefits of solar in the 24- Hour Economy, an integrated deployment strategy is recommended. Industrial zones should adopt shared solar parks that supply multiple enterprises, reducing individual capital costs. Commercial clusters, markets, hospitals, and transport terminals should integrate rooftop solar systems as part of their infrastructure upgrade plans.

Government facilities that will operate on extended schedules should adopt renewable procurement policies mandating a defined percentage of solar energy in their consumption mix. Private sector enterprises should be encouraged through financing incentives to adopt solar storage systems for operational stability.

Distributed energy resources should be interconnected with smart metering infrastructure and supported by regulatory frameworks for grid interconnection. Research institutions and universities should be integrated into the national solar programme to develop innovative solutions for energy management and storage optimisation.

Solarising Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy is both a technical imperative and an economic opportunity. The country’s abundant solar resources provide a reliable, low cost, and sustainable foundation for continuous productivity. Solar energy reduces dependence on the national grid, stabilises operational expenditure, enhances resilience, and aligns with national policy goals for climate sustainability and energy diversification.

By integrating solar energy into the operational framework of the 24-Hour Economy, Ghana positions itself for a modern industrial transformation. The synergy between uninterrupted economic activity and renewable energy adoption strengthens competitiveness, accelerates job creation, and fosters long term economic stability. Solar power is therefore not merely a supportive technology, it is a foundational pillar for achieving the vision of a productive, inclusive, and sustainable 24- Hour Economy.

>>>the writer is has a PMP and an Energy Analyst and can be reached via [email protected]

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