Kumasi, July 12, GNA – The Gyaama Pensan Senior High School (SHS) in the Afigya-Kwabre District, has won the 2021 edition of the ‘Renewable Energy Challenge’, organized for Senior High Schools (SHSs) in the Ashanti Region.
Debating on the project titled, ‘Microbial Fuel Cell’, at the event in Kumasi, the winners would demonstrate authority, in-depth knowledge and comprehensive analysis on the issue to carry the day.
The less-fancied Afigya-Kwabre-based SHS shrugged off stiff competition from some big schools, including; Prempeh College, Opoku Ware SHS and Kumasi High School.
Other competing schools were; Obuasi Senior High/Technical, Konongo Odumasi SHS, Kumasi Academy, Juaben SHS, Agona Senior High/Technical and Al-Azharia SHS.
Gyaama Pensan SHS, with the feat achieved, would represent the Region at the Zonal competition scheduled for August 16 – 20, 2021.
The winners, in addition, would visit the BUI Power Authority (BPA) and receive mentoring by the Council for Scientific Research (CSIR) as well as Kumasi Energy Centre.
The schools took turns to explain their project work on how renewable energy could solve national energy issues to ensure efficiency and economic growth.
Their presentations covered areas encompassing ‘Traffic Wind Turbine’, ‘Fuelless Energy Generation’, ‘PICO Hydro PVC Turbine’ and ‘Optimum Use of Photovoltaic Panel’.
Other topics ranged from ‘Hybrid Zeolite-Biomass’, ‘Solar Oven’, ‘Sustainable Energy Supply’ to ‘Cocoa Seedlings on Sliding Aluminum Tray’.
The participating schools were each given a certificate and cash of GH500.00.
Mr. David Oppong, Metropolitan Director of the Ghana Education Service (GES), congratulated the schools for their innovativeness and creativity.
He hoped the competition would instill in the students the desire to contribute meaningfully to the nation’s search for alternative and efficient renewable energy sources to boost socio-economic and industrial development.
Mr Julius Nkansah-Nyarko, Coordinator of the competition, hinted that similar programmes would be held in all the 16 regional capitals to select the best project on renewable energy.
Some institutions such as the Energy Commission, CSIR and the Brew-Hammond Energy Centre, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), would help refine the ideas and projects of the schools as they prepared for the grand-finale, he noted.
The competition, initiated by the Energy Commission in collaboration with the Bui Power Authority and the Ghana Education Service (GES), seeks to develop the research skills of students and also promote technological innovation in renewable energy.
Dr. George Tetteh, the Deputy Chief Executive of Bui Power Authority, said the competition sought to find talents and also to discover new young minds in the renewable energy space to help promote renewable energy in the country.
GNA