Ghana to earn $38m with new solar plant

Ghana could earn an extra $38 million per year with a new 100 MW solar power plant, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

The proposal has been presented by UNEP in partnership with the Energy Centre at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

Ghana would earn the $38 million in annual energy exports and 3,000 jobs would also be created whilst carbon emissions would be reduced by 40,000 tonnes annually.

According to UNEP’s report released under its “Green Economy and Trade Opportunities Project (GE-TOP)”, the infrastructure is already in place to accommodate up to 220 MW of intermittent solar power in Ghana.

UNEP said planned upgrades to the transmission system between Ghana and Burkina Faso could increase Ghana’s solar energy export potential and raise the cross-border carrying capacity to 400 MW.

Ghana is aiming to double energy generation capacity by 2020 and achieve exporter status, with renewable sources representing 10 per cent of the country’s energy mix.