OPEC Appoints Haitham Al-Ghais As New Secretary-General
The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has voted to appoint Kuwaiti candidate Haitham Al-Ghais as its new Secretary-General.
In a statement, the oil cartel said Al-Ghais was selected at a special meeting of the Conference of OPEC held via videoconference on Monday, January 3, 2022.
He will replace Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo, a Nigerian representative, when his second term as OPEC Secretary-General ends in July 2022.
“By Article 28 of the OPEC Statute and the application of the procedure decided at the 182nd Meeting of the Conference on 1 December 2021, the Conference decided by acclamation to appoint Mr Haitham Al-Ghais of Kuwait as Secretary-General of the Organization, with effect from 1 August 2022, for three years,” the statement explained.
Mr Al-Ghais, a veteran of the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) and Kuwait’s OPEC Governor from 2017 to June 2021, currently serves as Deputy Managing Director for International Marketing at KPC.
He chaired the Joint Technical Committee (JTC) of the Declaration of Cooperation (DoC) in 2017 and subsequently served as a member of the JTC until June 2021.
According to the statement, the Conference of OPEC expressed its appreciation to Barkindo for his leadership during his two-term tenure as Secretary-General from August 1, 2016, to July 31, 2022.
“A long-serving veteran of Nigeria’s oil industry and OPEC, Mr Barkindo, has been instrumental in expanding OPEC’s historical efforts to support sustainable oil market stability through enhanced dialogue and cooperation with many energy stakeholders, including the landmark DoC since its inception in December 2016,” the statement said.
“These efforts are widely credited with helping to stabilize the global oil market since the unprecedented market downturn related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and providing a platform for recovery.
“Before being appointed Secretary-General, Mr Barkindo held several key roles at OPEC between 1986 and 2010, including as Acting Secretary-General in 2006. He is known internationally for helping to produce the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol as the leader of Nigeria’s technical delegation to the UN negotiations in 1991.
“He has remained a key contributor to the UNFCCC process, including most recently at the 26th Conference of Parties (COP) meeting in Glasgow in October and November 2021.”
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Zimbabwe: Electricity Tariff Goes Up By 12.3 %
Electricity consumers in Zimbabwe will be paying more for electricity effective January 1, 2022.
Consumers will now pay as much as 12.3 per cent more, according to Zimbabwe’s Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA), citing section 53 of the Electricity Act.
According to a report by esi-Africa, families on pre-paid meters, who buy 200 units of electricity per month, will pay $1265.11 including the six per cent rural electrification levy, up from just under $1127.
There are five bands of discounted tariffs before the full $14.31 a unit comes into effect on all purchases over 400 units, although consumers can only have the advantage of the discounts on their first purchase each month. Subsequent purchases are charged at the full price.
The first 50 units cost $2.38 each, before the rural levy. So the full 50 will cost a domestic consumer on a pre-paid meter $126.14 including the rural electrification levy.
The 50 units are considered the bare minimum that a family needs for essential purposes and assume that they do not heat water for washing with electricity.
Consumers on post-paid meters will pay similar charges plus an additional $35.68 monthly fixed charge. The fixed charge covers the extra administration costs with a meter that is not prepaid and, at times, the complications and costs of recovering a bad debt.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: TotalEnergies Increases Fuel Prices
TotalEnergies, one of the leading Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) in the Republic of Ghana, has adjusted prices of super and diesel at its fuel retail outlets across the West African nation.
As of Monday morning, super (petrol) is being sold at Gh¢6.80 per litre; up from Gh¢6.65 per litre during the second pricing window in December 2021 while diesel is sold at Gh¢6.85 per litre.
This means TotalEnergies has increased super (petrol) by 15 pesewas while the price of diesel has been increased by 20 pesewas.
It is likely other Oil Marketing Companies will adjust their fuel prices at the pump this week.
Currently, GOIL, the leading indigenous (OMC), sells both petrol and diesel at Ghc6.60 per litre.
Other OMCs like Shell sells both petrol and diesel at Ghc6.60 per litre while Petrosol and Zen sell at Gh¢6.64 and Gh¢6.37 respectively.
In October 2021, Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo intervened by directing the country’s petroleum downstream regulator, NPA, to zero rates the Price Stabilisation and Recovery Levy (PSRL) for November and December 2021.
The PSRL is expected to be reintroduced this month, January.
As of Monday morning, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was selling at $75.79 per barrel while International Benchmark-Brent sold at $78.39 per barrel
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: Fuel Prices To Shoot Up By 18 Pesewas…IES Predicts
Fuel prices at the local market are expected to witness a marginal increase in the first pricing window of January 2022.
GOIL and TotalEnergies, which are the market leaders, currently sell both petrol and diesel at Ghc6.60 per litre and Ghc6.65 per litre respectively at the pump.
Other OMCs like Shell sells both petrol and diesel at Ghc6.60 per litre while Petrosol and Zen sell at Ghc6.64 and Ghc6.37 respectively.
However, Ghana’s energy think tank, Institute for Energy Security, predicts these prices would shoot up marginally because of the 8.18 per cent increase in the price of the International Benchmark-Brent crude- as well as the poor performance of the Ghanaian cedi against the US dollar.
Apart from the above, the government is also expected to reintroduce the Price Stabilisation and Recovery Levy (PSRL) after President Akufo-Addo directed the country’s downstream regulator, NPA, to zero rates it for two months to cushion consumers from the high cost of fuel.
“For the January first Pricing-Window, the 8.18 per cent increase in the price of the International Benchmark- Brent crude- the 3.25 per cent increase in the price of gasoline, the 2.09 per cent increase in gasoline price, the 0.5 per cent depreciation of the cedi against the US dollar and the reintroduction of the PSRL; the Institute for Energy Security (IES) projects for the price of fuel on the domestic market at the various pumps to increase by at least GHp18, representing a 2.8 per cent increase,” a statement from IES signed by Research Analyst Fritz Moses said.
Below is the full statement issued by IES
REINTRODUCTION OF THE PRICE STABILIZATION AND RECVOERY LEVY (PSRL) TO PUSH FUEL PRICES UP IN THE NEW YEAR
REVIEW OFDECEMBER SECONDPRICING-WINDOW
Local Fuel Market Performance
The price of fuel on the local Ghanaian market experienced a marginal decrease within the window under assessment. Price of petroleum products at the beginning of the second Pricing-window od December 2021 saw majority of the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) reduce their prices at the pump by 1.5%. The current National Average price for both products is pegged at Gh¢6.50 per litre, a 1.21% reduction from the previous window’s price of Gh¢6.58 per litre.
The IES Market-Scan picked Benab Oil, PetroSankofa, Star Oil, Goodness Oil and Top Oil as the OMCs with the least-priced fuel on the local market for the window under review. Prices of these OMCs ranged between Gh¢6.330 and Gh¢6.47per litre for both products.
The OMCs with the highest priced were Semanhyia (Gh¢6.70), Engen, Total, Shell (Vivo) and Puma, all selling at Gh¢6.65 per litre for all products.
World Oil Market
The International Benchmark Brent Crude saw its price rise within the period with prices selling on average at about $74.75 per barrel, representing an increment of 8.18% from the previous window’s average price of $69.10 per barrel.
For this pricing-window, the spike in cases of the pandemic, led mainly by the Omicron variant of the virus sparked some fear of demand destruction among traders. The rapidly growing number of Omicron cases worldwide has raised concerns about another period of sluggish demand. Currently, Omicron has already established itself as the main COVID strain in the United States, and nearing the dominant strain status in many European countries as well.
Despite early indications that Omicron will be less severe by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other allied agencies and institutions, the market will need to wait out this period of negative news before reclaiming its positive mood and return fully to the prices prior to the announcement of the variant.
The markets reacted to the news within the window, causing prices to tumble from above $75 per barrel to reach near $70 per barrel.
Within the same period, the supply issues with the Libyan crude influenced traders’ reaction on the markets, forcing prices to prop-up. The situation only forced a temporary support for oil producers as prices increased with the skirmishes in Libya, leading to a force majeure on oil exports and providing some upward pressure on prices.
The news of US crude oil inventories apparently falling for the fourth week in a row also caused some changes in the oil market. The falling U.S. oil inventories as announced by the American Petroleum Industry further propped-up oil prices.
The price of the refined products, Gasoline and Gasoil prices as monitored on Standard and Poor’s global Platt’s platform however experienced marginal changes within the period. The price of Gasoline increased by 3.25% to close the window at $707.75per metric tonne from its earlier price of $685.68per metric tonne. Price of Gasoil also increased within the period by 2.09%to close trading at $641.38per metric tonne from its earlier price of $628.28per metric tonne in the previous window.
Local Forex
Data monitored by the IES Economic Desk from the Foreign Exchange (Forex) market shows that the Cedi depreciated further against the U.S. Dollar by 0.5% in the just ended pricing window to close trading Gh¢6.24 to the US Dollar from the previous window’s rate of Gh¢6.21 to the US Dollar.
PROJECTIONS FOR JANUARY 2022FIRSTPRICING-WINDOW
For the January First Pricing-Window, the 8.18%increase in the price of the International Benchmark- Brent crude, the3.25% increase in price of Gasoline, the 2.09% increase in Gasoil price, the 0.5 per cent depreciation of the cedi against the US Dollar and the reintroduction of the PSRL; the Institute for Energy Security (IES) projects for price of fuel on the domestic market at the various pumps to increase by at least GHp18, representing a 2.8% increase.
For this pricing-window, the spike in cases of the pandemic, led mainly by the Omicron variant of the virus sparked some fear of demand destruction among traders. The rapidly growing number of Omicron cases worldwide has raised concerns about another period of sluggish demand. Currently, Omicron has already established itself as the main COVID strain in the United States, and nearing the dominant strain status in many European countries as well.
Despite early indications that Omicron will be less severe by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other allied agencies and institutions, the market will need to wait out this period of negative news before reclaiming its positive mood and return fully to the prices prior to the announcement of the variant.
The markets reacted to the news within the window, causing prices to tumble from above $75 per barrel to reach near $70 per barrel.
Within the same period, the supply issues with the Libyan crude influenced traders’ reaction on the markets, forcing prices to prop-up. The situation only forced a temporary support for oil producers as prices increased with the skirmishes in Libya, leading to a force majeure on oil exports and providing some upward pressure on prices.
The news of US crude oil inventories apparently falling for the fourth week in a row also caused some changes in the oil market. The falling U.S. oil inventories as announced by the American Petroleum Industry further propped-up oil prices.
The price of the refined products, Gasoline and Gasoil prices as monitored on Standard and Poor’s global Platt’s platform however experienced marginal changes within the period. The price of Gasoline increased by 3.25% to close the window at $707.75per metric tonne from its earlier price of $685.68per metric tonne. Price of Gasoil also increased within the period by 2.09%to close trading at $641.38per metric tonne from its earlier price of $628.28per metric tonne in the previous window.
Local Forex
Data monitored by the IES Economic Desk from the Foreign Exchange (Forex) market shows that the Cedi depreciated further against the U.S. Dollar by 0.5% in the just ended pricing window to close trading Gh¢6.24 to the US Dollar from the previous window’s rate of Gh¢6.21 to the US Dollar.
PROJECTIONS FOR JANUARY 2022FIRSTPRICING-WINDOW
For the January First Pricing-Window, the 8.18%increase in the price of the International Benchmark- Brent crude, the3.25% increase in price of Gasoline, the 2.09% increase in Gasoil price, the 0.5 per cent depreciation of the cedi against the US Dollar and the reintroduction of the PSRL; the Institute for Energy Security (IES) projects for price of fuel on the domestic market at the various pumps to increase by at least GHp18, representing a 2.8% increase.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
2021 Closes With Crude Oil Prices Below $80
Crude Oil prices closed in the year 2021 at below $80 per barrel after going above $80 per barrel in the last quarter of the year.
At the beginning of January 2021, West Texas Intermediate WTI traded at $48.86 per barrel while International Benchmark-Brent traded at $52.44.
However, crude prices began soaring, following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions which increased demand for fuel.
In October, WTI jumped to $84.64 per barrel while International Benchmark-Brent leapt to $86.34 per barrel.
The soaring crude oil prices pushed fuel prices up at the pump in most countries, causing more economic hardship and compounding the impact of Covid-19.
For example, in Ghana, West Africa, a litre of petrol and diesel at some point sold at Ghc 6.90 (an equivalent of US$1.09).
This sparked anger among commercial transport operators who lamented over the high cost of fuel and demanded that the government abolish some of the taxes on petroleum products to bring them some relief.
As of the close of Friday, WTI was trading at $76.90 per barrel while International Benchmark-Brent sold at $79.50 per barrel.
Some analysts have predicted that oil prices will hit $100 per barrel in 2022.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
The soaring crude oil prices pushed fuel prices up at the pump in most countries, causing more economic hardship and compounding the impact of Covid-19.
For example, in Ghana, West Africa, a litre of petrol and diesel at some point sold at Ghc 6.90 (an equivalent of US$1.09).
This sparked anger among commercial transport operators who lamented over the high cost of fuel and demanded that the government abolish some of the taxes on petroleum products to bring them some relief.
As of the close of Friday, WTI was trading at $76.90 per barrel while International Benchmark-Brent sold at $79.50 per barrel.
Some analysts have predicted that oil prices will hit $100 per barrel in 2022.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com Ghana: BOST To Build LPG Tanks Across Its Depots-MD
The Managing Director of Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) Company Limited, Edwin Nii Obadai Provencal, has disclosed that the company’s aim of building Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) storage facilities (tanks) for Ghana was progressing steadily with the Front End Engineering Design (FEED) for the project almost complete.
He said the construction of the LPG tanks at all existing BOST depots, when completed, would enable the company to store LPG as part of national strategic reserve for the Republic of Ghana.
Mr Provencal added that the LPG storage facilities were part of the company’s strategy of aggressively growing its business by developing a network of storage tanks, pipelines and other bulk transportation infrastructure throughout the country.
Mr Provencal was speaking during the end-of-year assessment stakeholder engagement with the media.
The engagement was also used to outline the company’s achievements for 2021 and plans for 2022.
The engagement provided a platform for BOST to share its success stories and challenges with the media as part of efforts to promote probity and accountability in the management of the company.
Mr Provencal said BOST has identified LPG products as one of the opportunities for its growth strategy.
The LPG storage tanks would contribute to meeting the growing demand for LPG products by consumers as it would generate more revenue for the government.
Mr Provencal revealed that BOST would continue to work towards becoming the number one fuel and logistics business operator in the West African sub-region.
Nigeria: Group Blames Rising Cooking Gas Price On Forex
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Saudi Arabia May Cut Oil Prices For Asia
Saudi Arabia could cut the official selling price for oil to Asian buyers in February after raising them substantially this month.
According to a Reuters report citing industry insiders and poll data, the Kingdom could slash the prices for all its export grades by as much as $1 per barrel and more, which would push these prices to their lowest in three to four months.
Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia raised its official selling prices for oil to Asia by $0.60 per barrel, which brought them $3.30 per barrel above the Oman/Dubai benchmark.
The price hike suggested expectations of strong demand, which in turn implied that Saudi Arabia is not all that worried about the Omicron variant that caused a more than $10 plunge in oil prices in late November, with Brent at one point dipping below $70 per barrel.
This month, however, prices have rebounded globally, but the spot market premium for Middles Eastern and Russian grades has fallen by more than 50 percent since the start of the month, Reuters noted in its report. The drop was a result of higher OPEC+ production this month.
The price cut for February is in part a move in anticipation of lower demand from Asian buyers as refineries on the continent prepare for maintenance season in the second quarter of the year, Reuters noted.
Saudi Arabia will announce its official selling prices for oil after the January OPEC+ meeting, to take place on the 4th of the month. Asia accounts for more than half of Saudi oil exports.
Earlier this month, the Kingdom reported crude oil exports accounted for 77.6 percent of total exports in October, up from 66.1 percent a year earlier. The value of oil exports was 123 percent higher than a year ago, thanks to substantially higher crude oil prices.
Source: Oilprice.com
Ghana: Energy News Africa Honours Fred Oware
A former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bui Power Authority, Ghana’s second-largest state power generation company, Mr Fred Oware, has been honoured by energynewsafrica.com for contributing to the growth of the only portal dedicated to Ghana and Africa’s energy sector.
Mr Oware was honoured with an artistic portrait of him designed by Infilive Talents at Official Town, a suburb of Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region.
Presenting the portrait to him at the Jubilee House, the seat of government, Michael Creg Afful, Editor of energynewsafrica.com, remarked that Mr Fred Oware has been very supportive of the growth of energynewsafrica.com in diverse ways.
He said before the launching of the portal in 2018, he opened the doors of Bui Power Authority to the team and assisted them financially to launch the portal.
Ghana Needs Affordable Power To Attract Investors-Bui Power Authority“I remember when we were about launching the portal, we knocked on the doors of the Authority and through your effort, the Authority, through its corporate social responsibility, supported us. And we recall that in the video we produced for the launching, you made us understand that whatever you will do to support the growth of the website, you will do it including referring and encouraging other industry players to visit the website for news in the energy sector. “Today, by the grace of God and through your effort and other industry players and our team, energynewsafrica.com has reached several people in Africa and beyond. As we speak, people from 155 countries visit the website for news in the energy sector,” Mr Afful narrated. Creg Afful, who described Mr Oware as someone who is committed to the growth of the portal, said through his effort, the Authority, a few months ago, supported energynewsafrica.com to procure a professional camera to help in the video and photographic materials. He expressed the gratitude of energynewsafrica.com to Mr Oware for his contribution towards the growth of the portal and wished him well in his new role. On his part, Mr Fred Oware, who expressed shock by the honour, said he least expected it because he used his office to support energynewsafrica.com for them to deepen information flow in the energy sector. Mr Oware commended energynewsafrica.com for projecting Ghana and Africa’s energy sector by letting players become aware of what is happening in the energy sector. He wished the team well and prayed their efforts are recognised globally. Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: NPA Sweeps Three Awards At Corporate Ghana Awards
Ghana’s petroleum downstream regulator, National Petroleum Authority (NPA) was honoured at this year’s Corporate Ghana Awards organized by organizers of RTP Awards.
The event, which was held at Movenpick Hotel, brought together CEOs and Managing Directors of both state and private enterprises.
The Chief Executive of NPA, Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, was bestowed the Dynamic CEO of the Year while the Authority received an award for the Company of the Year for petroleum downstream regulation and best Corporate Social Responsibility of the year.
In all, 43 individuals and institutions, both public and private, received recognition for their excellent performances and impacts on the social and economic development of Ghana.
Africa Oil Producing Nations Tasked To Look For Funds Within To Finance Oil and Gas Project
African oil-producing nations have been urged to look within the continent to raise the necessary capital to continue to finance the oil and gas industry.
This was contained in a communiqué issued by the African Petroleum Producers Organisation at the end of its 41st Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers held in Algiers, Algeria.
The call is on the back of the global push for an energy transition from fossil fuel to renewable energy sources which has negatively affected investments in new exploration activities.
In October 2020, the United Nations Secretary, Antonio Guterres, at a virtual meeting of a coalition of finance ministers and economic policymakers to ensure development banks phase out fossil fuel investments, urged development to stop backing fossil fuel projects.
Rather, he said developments must rapidly scale up support for renewable energy and back projects to help those exposed to the impact of climate change.
A report published by IHS Markit predicted a reduction in capital expenditure for oil and gas projects, noting that a combined CAPEX through 2020 and 2022 was expected to total more than US20 billion.
According to APPO’s communiqué, the Ministers identified the imminent challenges that the oil and gas industry would face in Africa as international financiers withdraw funding for the industry and oil and gas research institutions in the developed countries that have always led the technological development are closing their petroleum faculties.
“They agreed that Africa needs to re-strategize as the game is fast changing. Africa shall need to look within for the expertise, technology, finance and markets for its energy resources. The Council noted that the potential exists as Africa has a huge population of 1.3 billion people. All they need is to be mobilized and empowered to be able to buy energy,’’ the communiqué said.
The Council reaffirmed its commitment to the protection of the environment, emphasizing the need to pursue technologies that would allow for the use of fossil fuels with minimum carbon footprints.
Furthermore, the Council called on the technologically advanced and financially capable countries to lend their support to African countries as they grapple with the challenges of Energy Transition.
The Council noted the need for intra-African energy infrastructures like cross-border pipelines, products depots and terminals.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Nigeria: TCN Energizes Second 330kV Akangba -Ikeja West Line On Full Load After Five Towers Collapsed
Nigeria’s power transmission company (TCN) has energized its second 330kV Akangba-Ikeja West transmission line which serves as a redundant line following the recent vandalized pipeline fire which brought down five towers of its main 330kV transmission line.
The energizing of the redundant line on that axis, according to the company, is in keeping with TCN’s N-1 reliability criteria.
In a statement issued by Mrs Ndidi Mbah, General Manager, Public Affairs of TCN, it said the company’s MD/CEO, Engr. Dr Sule Abdulaziz, flew in from Abuja to inspect the site of the incident.
The statement said the second 330kV line, which tripped during the incident, was patrolled by TCN engineers and certified okay before it was energized.
The line, the MD/CEO noted, was energized about 2:38 pm Friday and now wheels 121MW to the Akangba Transmission Substation.
This, he noted, means that areas under Ikeja Disco whose supplies were affected by the pipeline fire incident would now have a normal supply of electricity.
Given the importance of transmission line redundancy, Engr. Abdulaziz said that TCN had already directed two contractors to mobilize to the site to commence the reconstruction of the towers and 330kV line.
He reiterated the need for everyone to be part of the fight against the vandalism of the nation’s assets.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Nigeria: Five TCN Electric Towers Collapse In Lagos
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), on Friday, announced that an inferno was caused by a vandalized pipeline along Isheri Olofin, off the Igbando–LASU expressway of Lagos State.
That caused massive damage to its 330kV Ikeja-West Akangba transmission line 1, burning off a large portion of the conductor.
General Manager, Public Affairs at the TCN, Mrs Ndidi Mba said in a statement issued in Abuja that the development triggered a resistant pull on the high-tension towers along the line route causing five of them to collapse.
She explained further that the incident, which is estimated to have occurred at about 00.29 in the early hours of today, burnt a wide portion of the 330kV transmission line which wheels 145MW of bulk power to the Akangba Substation.
According to her, “The transmission towers affected are the two closest to the site of the incident and three across the Lagos Canal.
“As a result of the incident, there is a major reduction of bulk power wheeled to TCN’s 330/132/33kV Akangba Transmission Substation in Lagos, however, because the substation takes supply from two different 330kV transmission lines, with the second being the redundant line, TCN will rearrange bulk electricity transmitted on that line route to the second 330kV previously carrying 59MW.
“Presently, TCN is successfully back-feeding the substations affected by the towers collapse, while the engineers are patrolling the second 330kV transmission line that tripped due to the incident, to ensure it has no-fault before it is energized. Once it is energized, supply will be restored to all the substations affected by the incident from the second 330kV transmission line, as the load carried by the burnt 330kV line will now be transferred to the second line.
“This kind of incident is a major setback to the implementation of our grid expansion and stability under our well-articulated Electricity Grid Maintenance, Expansion and Rehabilitation Programme. This is because the re-erection of five towers and restringing of the 330kV transmission line is a major project that costs a lot of money and will take a while to complete.
“TCN is by this appealing to Nigerians to desist from activities such as oil bunkering, and other destructive tendencies, as they all have very far-reaching negative effects on the nation at large. The issue of protecting our national assets is imperative. Protecting national assets is one that must be taken very seriously so that the stability of the nation’s network and the development of the nation is not compromised.”
Ghana: Distributed Renewable Energy Generation Witnesses Steady Growth In 9 Years
Distributed renewable energy generation is growing steadily in the Republic of Ghana, data from Ghana’s technical electricity regulator, Energy Commission, has revealed.
From a paltry 495kWp in 2013 distributed, energy sources have grown to 30, 920 kWp in 2020.
Distributed generation is the term used when electricity is generated from sources, often renewable energy sources, near the point of use instead of centralized generation sources from power plants.
Presenting a document titled: ‘Making Distributed Energy Resources and Renewable Energy Investments Attractive: Context Of Ghana’s Regulations’, at a webinar hosted by USAID, Fredrick Ken Appiah, Head of Renewable Energy at the Energy Commission, attributed the steady growth in distributed energy to a stable socio-political-economic environment, high cost of electricity for commercial and industries, innovative business and financial model as well as the power crisis the country experienced between 2012 and 2016.
Ghana has set a target to achieve 10 per cent renewable energy penetration in the energy mix by 2030, 200MW of Renewable Energy Distributed Generation by 2030 and universal electricity access by 2025.
Discussing how to advance distributed energy resources in Ghana, Mr Appiah suggested the development of a compensation mechanism such as capacity (demand) charge for distributed generation systems that depend on distribution network for support, adoption of net metering, the introduction of a National Threshold Capacity, Change Distribution Utility’s Business Model and Financial/Technical Impact Assessment.
In his concluding remarks, Mr Appiah said nobody can stop the adoption of distributed generation power.
“We just need to be innovative and adapt to change based on our needs, not international pressure,” he noted.
He added that there is a need to support industries to reduce their cost of production by using cheap distributed energy resources.
He further stressed that Ghana takes a second look at the tariff structure.
Mr Kobina Nyanteh, from the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), enumerated some of the challenges that the RE sector faces.
He mentioned insufficient experience, absence of net metering, lack of support for projects, high commercial interest rates, limited tenor loans, high inflation and currency depreciation.
To address the challenges, Mr Kobina Nyanteh proposed increasing generation capacity through utility-scale projects, mini-grids standalone app applications for street lighting, traffic control, aviation signals, telecommunications and light electronic device.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
In his concluding remarks, Mr Appiah said nobody can stop the adoption of distributed generation power.
“We just need to be innovative and adapt to change based on our needs, not international pressure,” he noted.
He added that there is a need to support industries to reduce their cost of production by using cheap distributed energy resources.
He further stressed that Ghana takes a second look at the tariff structure.
Mr Kobina Nyanteh, from the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), enumerated some of the challenges that the RE sector faces.
He mentioned insufficient experience, absence of net metering, lack of support for projects, high commercial interest rates, limited tenor loans, high inflation and currency depreciation.
To address the challenges, Mr Kobina Nyanteh proposed increasing generation capacity through utility-scale projects, mini-grids standalone app applications for street lighting, traffic control, aviation signals, telecommunications and light electronic device.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com Fire Injures Four At Exxon Refinery In Texas
A fire broke out at the Baytown refinery operated by Exxon in Texas, USA on Thursday, injuring four people.
Law enforcement has called the fire a major industrial incident, the Wall Street Journal reported.
No fatalities were reported at the 561,000-bpd complex.
“ExxonMobil’s emergency response teams continue to work to extinguish the fire that occurred in a hydro desulfurization unit at our Baytown Refinery this morning around 1 a.m. Central Time,” the supermajor said in a statement emailed to the WSJ.
“We are saddened to inform that four people were injured and are receiving medical treatment. All other personnel have been accounted for.”
“Our first priority is people in the community and in our facilities. Air monitoring continues along the fence line. Available information shows no adverse impact at this time,” the company’s Baytown division said in a statement, as quoted by the WSJ.
NBC quoted the Harris County Sheriff’s Office as saying that deputies were responding to the incident and that residents were advised to avoid the area of the refinery.
However, according to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, there was for now no need to evacuate the area or issue a shelter-in-place order.
A manager at the Baytown refinery, Rohan Davies, said, as quoted by NBC, that all four injured people were transported from the site to hospital and all were in stable condition.
While the Harris County Sheriff’s Office said the fire appeared to be the result of an explosion, Davies said that “At this time, we’re still collecting all that information,” adding: “We will conduct a full and thorough investigation.”
A CBS affiliate station reported that the fire had erupted in the part of the refinery that produces gasoline but the rest of the complex was operating. According to the WSJ report, the fire had broken out at the petrochemical part of the complex, which produces plastics.
Source: Oilprice.com