Aflivie (GAR), April 16, GNA – Government has commissioned a 253.26 kilowatts peak (KWP) mini-grids electrification system to light up three island communities at Ada in the Greater Accra Region.
The initiative will benefit about 3,700 residents at Aflivie, Alorkpem and Azizakpe in the Ada East District.
The Aflivie mini-grid, with a capacity of 110 KWP, is the biggest in the country.
Mr John Abdullah Jinapor, the Minister of Energy and Green Transition, who commissioned the system, said it would provide adequate, uninterrupted electricity supply to the Island dwellers as well contribute to energy equity and inclusion.
The mini-grid electrification is sponsored by the Swiss Government under the Ghana Energy Sector Support Project.
The facility would promote brisk economic and social activities, especially for the tourism and hospitality industry, Mr Jinapor said.
It would also increase the country’s efforts to achieving universal access to electrification.
“With the coming on stream of about 60 megawatts (MW) solar projects-10MW at Yendi, and 50MW at BPA Generating Station this year, Ghana’s renewable energy installed capacity will increase to close to about 260 MW,” he said.
The Minister said the Government was working on other initiatives to light up other 150 Island communities with a population of about 250 residents.
He said all the projects would feed into the ongoing global conversation of sustainability, improving health and reducing emission, which renewable energy offered.
“We need to implement measures that will help keep temperatures from going up, and technologies such as solar energy, wind energy, hydro, thermal, gas-fired thermal, nuclear power, e-mobility, which are very low-carbon energy technologies, will contribute significantly towards addressing these global goals,” he said.
Mr Jinapor said the Government had resolved to light up all 200 Islands and 2000 lakeside communities through mini-grid electrification, which would cater for over a quarter of a million people in the long term.
In the medium term, thus by 2030, the Government had targeted to serve more than 150 Island communities with smart mini-grid electrification systems.
Madam Simone Giger, the Swiss Ambassador to Ghana, said the project represented the Swiss Government’s commitment to supporting sustainable development, especially access to power to unlock economic opportunities for the underserved.
She said her government would scale up mini grid initiatives under the Swiss-Ghana Article Six Cooperative Agreement, under the Paris Agreement.
GNA
ABD