By Edward Dankwah
Accra, June 10, GNA – The Energy Commission (EC) has launched the seventh edition of its Senior High Schools (SHS) Renewable Energy Challenge, introducing a special “Champion of Champions” category to inspire students to develop innovative solutions to Ghana’s energy and development challenges.
The initiative, which began in 2019 with only six schools in the Greater Accra Region, has grown into a nationwide platform promoting renewable energy innovation and nurturing future leaders in the green economy.
Speaking at launch held on the theme: “Harnessing Renewable Energy to Power Ghana’s 24-Hour Green Economy,” Mr Chris Nanabanyin Yalley, the Deputy Executive Secretary, EC, said the programme represent a collective commitment to harnessing the creativity and ingenuity of Ghanaian students to build a more sustainable future.
He said 17 schools were competing in the “Champion of Champions” category this year.
Mr Yalley noted that over the years, the challenge had showcased the ability of young people to identify community challenges and develop practical renewable energy solutions to address them.
He cited success stories from previous editions, including projects on microbial fuel cells, clean cooking technologies, mechanised agriculture, and solutions addressing land degradation and water pollution.
He added that the 2025 edition attracted more than 120 schools nationwide, highlighting the growing impact of the initiative.
Mr Yalley said the introduction of the Champion of Champions category marked a major milestone, bringing together past winners and top-performing schools to compete at a higher level of innovation and excellence.
He explained that this year’s theme reflected Ghana’s commitment to building a resilient and inclusive 24-hour economy powered by sustainable energy solutions.
Mr Yalley said although Ghana had made significant progress in expanding access to electricity, many remote communities still faced challenges due to the high cost of extending the national grid.
He said renewable energy offered a practical and sustainable means of bridging that gap while supporting economic growth and environmental sustainability.
He indicated that participants were being encouraged to develop solutions that were not only innovative, but also practical, financially viable, and capable of being implemented and scaled across sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, education, food processing, and small-scale enterprise development.
Mr Yalley urged participating schools to see themselves as future innovators, engineers, entrepreneurs, and leaders who would drive Ghana’s energy transition and contribute to the country’s green economy.
He reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency through innovation, collaboration, and youth empowerment, while expressing appreciation to teachers, mentors, sponsors, judges, and other stakeholders for supporting the growth of the challenge over the years.
Mr Richard Gyan-Mensah, Deputy Minister of Energy and Green Transition, lauded the Commission’s SHS Renewable Energy Challenge for nurturing the next generation of renewable energy experts and innovators in Ghana.
He noted that students across the country had over the years developed practical solutions to address challenges in agriculture, clean cooking, energy efficiency and environmental sustainability.
He said although Ghana had achieved nearly 90 per cent electricity access, many remote and underserved communities still lacked reliable power due to the high cost of extending the national grid.
Mr Gyan-Mensah noted that renewable energy technologies such as solar systems, mini-grids and biomass solutions present practical opportunities to bridge the gap while supporting economic growth and environmental sustainability.
The Deputy Minister encouraged participating students to view the competition as more than an academic exercise and challenged them to think like engineers, entrepreneurs and policymakers capable of developing innovative solutions to national challenges.
“I urge you to design projects that are technically sound, financially viable, scalable and socially impactful, and that the competition should serve as a platform for discovering future renewable energy and energy technology experts,” he emphasised.
Mr Gyan-Mensah commended the Commission for introducing the Champion of Champions concept and conducting a six-year impact assessment of the programme, describing it as evidence of their commitment to measuring progress in renewable energy adoption, STEM education and community development.
He also acknowledged the contributions of the Ministry of Education, teachers, mentors, parents, sponsors and other stakeholders whose support had contributed to the growth and success of the initiative.
GNA
Edited by Lydia Kukua Asamoah