Accra, April 06, GNA – Mrs Portia Adade Williams, a Research Scientist, Council for Scientific Industrial Research – Science and Technology Policy Research Institute (CSIR-STEPRI), says the country must adopt the Hybrid Waste-to-Energy (WtE) policy guidelines.
Such a policy, she said, would assist policymakers and stakeholders in assessing the opportunities, limits and risks of WtE technologies for effective planning and efficient investments in waste management.
Mrs Williams said the guidelines would also guide the implementation processes for WtE initiatives, which would contribute to Ghana’s climate change strategy.
“We have gone through a process for more than two years developing this project where we have come up with a policy guideline to improve sanitation by converting waste to energy,” the Research Scientist added.
Mrs Williams said this during a stakeholders’ dialogue which was organised by CSIR-STEPRI on the development of a Hybrid WtE policy guidelines for Ghana.
The dialogue intends to finally engage relevant stakeholders and agencies at all levels to present the document to them and to seek their final input.
The German government through the Federal Ministry of Education and Research signed a 5.8 million euros contract with four institutions in Germany and one institution from Ghana, comprising other institutions to design and construct a 400kW hybrid WtE plant to treat municipal solid waste in Ghana.
The completion of the 48-month project will help to ensure the conversion of WtE commences in Kumasi this year and later extended to other parts of the country.
The overall aim of the project is to through research and development and capacity development, develop concepts for waste segregation and the conversion of various fractions into energy by using biogas, pyrolysis and solar PV plants.
The Research Scientist said open dumping and inappropriate disposal in landfills presented threats to public health and safety of the environment as well as contributed an estimated five per cent of global greenhouse gases to climate change.
She said in Ghana, approximately, 30,000 tonnes of municipal household solid waste was generated daily, with the per capita ranging from 0.2 to 0.8 kg/person/day.
Professor Emmanuel Ramde, Executive Director, West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL), said the hybrid WtE plant located in Gyankobaa, in the Ashanti Region, held the promise of transforming municipal solid waste.
He said it was imperative to recognise the significance of the initiative, which did not only offer a sustainable solution to waste management, but also held the potential to alleviate pressure on traditional energy sources while promoting environmental stewardships and economic growth.
“While we aim, through meaningful discussions, to validate the draft policy document, we hope to further create awareness about the document in addressing waste and energy management in Ghana,” the Executive Director added.
Professor Paul Bosu, Director General, CSIR, said the CSIR was proud to be associated with the novel energy project, which converted municipal waste into renewable energy through various technologies.
He thanked the German government through the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, and WASCAL for funding the feasibility studies, which led to the selection as well as the implementation of the pilot phase of the project.
“We have had a very good working relationship with our funders and we look forward to strengthening this collaboration way into the future for the mutual benefit of our institutions and countries,” the Director General added.
GNA