- The Energy Commission of Ghana has signed an agreement to use energy-modelling company Energy Exemplar’s modelling software to understand the entire energy landscape across Ghana.
- Ghana and its neighbours in the West African Power Pool have enormous renewable energy potential, which we now can understand, harness and optimise to a previously unattainable level.
The Energy Commission of Ghana has signed an agreement to use energy-modelling company Energy Exemplar’s modelling software to understand the entire energy landscape across Ghana, including gas and electricity, this week. The Ghanaian government aims to increase the proportion of renewables in the national mix from 42.5 MW to 1 363 MW, or by more than 30 times. The Energy Commission of Ghana has signed a two-year agreement to use Energy Exemplar’s PLEXOS modelling software to support the country’s energy aspirations. The global body, the World Bank, funded the agreement.
Energy Exemplar said in a statement that modelling with PLEXOS will help Ghana work with neighbouring countries to adopt more extensive use of renewables. Interconnectivity between African countries will allow them to cooperate to meet energy requirements and keep costs affordable for consumers all year round. PLEXOS, already in use in Senegal and Morocco, is fast becoming a common language for African States wishing to harness the continent’s wealth of resources and reduce dependence on biomass for thermal energy by 2030, such as that envisioned in Ghana’s Renewable Energy Master Plan.
The Energy Commission of Ghana executive secretary, Oscar Amonoo-Neizer, said, “Working with Energy Exemplar is a significant step forward to realising Ghana’s clean energy objectives. Ghana and its neighbours in the West African Power Pool have enormous renewable energy potential, which we now can understand, harness and optimise to a previously unattainable level. We hope our innovative approach provides an example to the continent of how to adapt and respond to growing climate, market and geopolitical challenges”. Ghana is looking to expand and optimise its existing hydropower, which already accounts for 29% of total installed electricity generation capacity in 2021 and wind and solar. The Energy Commission of Ghana will also use PLEXOS to obtain a greater understanding of fluctuations in the price of gas, 20% of which comes from Nigeria through the West African Gas Pipeline.