Ghana’s Minister for Energy, John-Peter Amewu has revealed that his Ministry has revised Renewable Energy Power Purchasing Agreement (PPA) signed under the previous administration from a total capacity of 2, 265MW to 515MW.
According to him, the 515WM, if executed, could be accommodated within the country’s national electricity grid.
Mr Amemu made this revelation in a speech delivered on his behalf by Wisdom Ahiataku-Togobo, Director of Renewable and Alternative Energies, at the commissioning of a 1000kWp Rooftop Solar Project at Special Ice Company Ltd factory at Ayi Mensah in Accra.
According to him, the Ministry has also been able to re-negotiate and reduce the charges from an average of US$12KWh, adding that further engagement with scheduled IPPs is ongoing to achieve below US$10 cent, which is the Ministry’s ultimate goal.
The West African nation’s Energy Minister stressed that his outfit had developed a renewable energy master plan which clearly provides the capacity and investment required on yearly basis from 2017 to 2030.
According to him, they have also put a moratorium on new PPAs until the 515 MW signed PPAs have been executed.
Additionally, Mr Amewu said his Ministry has provided for competitive bidding of renewable energy projects with focus on Utility Scale Solar power plants.
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“Besides the investment by IPPs in the Renewable Energy Sector, the Ministry of Energy has facilitated investment in the construction of the first phase of 17MW Solar Park by VRA in Lawra and Keleo in the Upper West Region, with work currently at 40 percent completed,” he said, adding that discussions are ongoing between the Ghana Government,VRA and KfW of Germany for additional financing for another 17MW which will bring the total capacity to 34MW.
Furthermore, he noted that construction of the first phase of 50MW solar PV plant to be hybridised with the 400MW Bui Power Dam Authority (BDA) has commenced.
He hinted that the first 10MW is expected to be connected to the national grid by end of this quarter. The remaining 40MW is expected to be completed in December 2020.
Mr Amewu observed that the government intends to have public institutions such Ministries, Departments and Agencies integrating solar in their buildings to reduce their high electricity bills, saying, “That is why the Energy Ministry added another 60KWp of solar PV to its existing 50KW in 2019.”
To make these sectors more energy sustaiable, he said his outfit has awarded contract for the construction of 912KWp solar plant to supply about 60 percent of all total demand at the Jubilee House and its about 70 percent completed and expected to be commissioned by December 2020.
“The government has also signed a bilateral agreement with Germany on Reform Partnership in the area of Rebewable Energy and Efficiency to the tune of Euro 100 million. This partnership will contribute to increase in the generation mix through embedded generation and production uses,” he said.
He said the Ministry has expanded the heavily subsidised solar lanterns distribution programme, adding that the first 30,000 units of a contracted consignment of 80,000 units has already been delivered by the Ministry.
Source:www.energynewsafrica.com