Cape Coast, Dec. 16, GNA – Mr Frederick Ken Appiah, Head of Renewable Energy at the Energy Commission, has called on the private sector to take advantage of business opportunities in renewable energy and invest to grow the sector.
He said investment in renewable energy efficiency was central to creating employment opportunities within small and medium-sized businesses.
He said countries that embraced renewable energy and energy efficiency will not just inject cash into their economies but will also protect their citizens’ health and welfare in a stable, sustainable and resilient world.
Mr Appiah made the appeal at the unveiling of a noiseless solar-powered tricycle in Cape Coast.
The solar-powered tricycle has an electric charging system integrated with a power supply from solar and a special energy storage system as an alternative to reducing the harmful emissions from commercial tricycles.
It has free Wi, four 3D printed seatbelts, structured designs, no key but an on and off button to start or turn it off.
This decreases the dependence on high electrical energy demand load on the grid to augment national energy demand.
The feat was achieved by students of the Mechanical Engineering Department of Coast Technical University (CCTU) with support from the Energy Commission.
Mr Appiah said the innovation formed part of the e-drive initiative being rolled out by the government to reduce petrol, diesel and liquefied petroleum-powered vehicles to encourage the use of electric-powered vehicles.
The transitioning of the transportation sector away from fossil fuels, he indicated, must bolster bus and vehicle electrification efforts and enhance the capacity to charge them with 100 per cent renewable electricity, supporting new forms of urban mobility and transit systems.
He proposed decarbonized industry to promote industrial energy diversification into low-carbon technologies such as concentrated solar thermal for hot water, hydrogen or ammonia.
In that light, the Commission will continue to play a pivotal role by developing and mandating programmes that use renewable energy, offer incentives for energy technology installation and renewable energy grants.
Mr Appiah reiterated Government’s support for Senior High School Renewable Energy Challenge to create education and awareness in renewable energy and its efficiency among schools across the country.
The competition seeks to develop research skills, promote technical innovation in renewable energy efficiencies in the students for them to develop a passion for solving renewable energy challenges, climate change and encourage hard work through public recognition and rewards.
It was also in fulfilment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on renewable energy and tackling the problems of changing consumption patterns and negative attitudes of energy users which only resulted in wastage and high energy consumption costs.
Right Reverend Professor Joshua Danso Owusu-Sekyere, Vice-Chancellor of CCTU, called for support for technical universities to help them to execute their mandate of producing the manpower needs of the country.
GNA