By Hannah Awadzi
Accra, Nov. 4, GNA – The West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with two German universities to train students in international master’s degree in energy and green hydrogen technology.
Green hydrogen is clean fuel that permits the storage and use of energy from renewable sources.
Under the programme, Forschungszentrum Julich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, all universities in Germany with funding from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Germany would prepare and train a new generation of interdisciplinary professionals capable of proposing adapted solutions to the ongoing energy crisis in West Africa.
The 24-month programme which will be a full scholarship package will consist of four specialisations and would run in lead universities in Togo, Cote’ d’ Ivoire, Niger and Senegal.
Dr Moumini Savadogo, Executive Director of WASCAl, who signed the MOU for WASCAL, said the programme, first of its kind in Africa was designed to prepare the next generation to address the energy challenges of adaptation and resilience to Climate Change in West Africa.
“The programme’s interdisciplinary approach will allow for a better understanding of present-day energy infrastructures in West Africa, their strengths and weaknesses, energy policies, practices in a changing climate context and the search for sustainable solutions,” he said.
Professor Wolfgang Marquardt, Chairman, Forschungszentrum Julich, Board of Directors and Professor Peter Letmathe of the Aachen University signed on behalf of their universities.
Professor Paul Bonsu, Director General of the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) who witnessed the signing commended the initiative.
He said there was the need to push green hydrogen technology and pledged CSIR’s support.
GNA