Sustainable Energy Specialist Mr. Wisdom Ahiataku-Togobo asserts that access to affordable and reliable electricity is crucial for the successful implementation of the government’s flagship policies, including the 24-hour economy and Accelerated Export Development Policy.
“No country can develop economically without access to modern, reliable, and affordable energy,” he argued during a presentation at the 5th Anniversary Public Lecture and Forum by Energy News Africa Limited in Accra.
Mr. Ahiataku-Togobo emphasized that the backbone of any industrialized country running a 24-hour economy is the availability of affordable electrical power.
He stressed the need for the government to rapidly double or triple reliable electricity supply to stimulate industrial growth, especially during peak demand.
He suggested incorporating natural gas and clean coal into Ghana’s energy mix, citing their potential to support the policy initiative.
As a Managing Partner at WAC Energy Professionals with over 30 years of experience in the energy sector, Mr. Ahiataku-Togobo recommended that Ghana systematically prioritize investment in grid and natural gas infrastructures and fast-track its Nuclear Power Programme.
He drew comparisons with industrialized countries like China which relies heavily on coal and natural gas for electricity generation.
South Korea’s significant increase in electricity generation from 21.17GW in 1990 to 143GW in 2023, largely driven by nuclear, gas, and coal imports, was another example he cited.
Mr. Ahiataku-Togobo also referenced Malaysia’s remarkable growth in electricity generation capacity from 0.46GW in 1970 to 45.5GW in 2022.
He highlighted that Ghana’s generation in 1970 was 0.76GW which was much higher than that of Malaysia but only saw a marginal growth to 5.5GW by 2022.
He contended that Ghana needs to rapidly revolutionize its power generation capacity to catch up with the rest of the world.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
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