USAID's Power Africa Program Transforms Ghana's Energy Landscape With Solar-Hydro Hybrid Project - SolarQuarter
USAID's Power Africa Program Transforms Ghana's Energy Landscape With Solar-Hydro Hybrid Project - SolarQuarter
The Power Africa West Africa Energy Program (WAEP), funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), recently concluded a landmark event in Accra, Ghana, marking five years of transformative impact in the region’s energy sector. Bringing together key stakeholders, including government officials and private sector entities, the event served as a platform to reflect on WAEP’s accomplishments and glean insights from lessons learned.
Since its inception in 2019, WAEP has been instrumental in bolstering access to clean, affordable, and reliable grid-connected electricity across 23 countries in West and Central Africa. In Ghana, one of its focal points, WAEP collaborated with the Ministry of Energy to develop a cutting-edge data-driven inventory management system (IMS). This system has facilitated over 400,000 new electricity connections by providing real-time data on the availability and distribution of energy equipment.
A major highlight of WAEP’s endeavors in Ghana is its support for the Bui Power Authority (BPA) in operationalizing the first phase of a groundbreaking 250 MW solar-hydro hybrid project. Spearheaded by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, this project, a first in West Africa, has effectively doubled Ghana’s grid-connected solar energy capacity, while significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Furthermore, WAEP’s initiatives extend to capacity-building efforts, such as training and certifying wiring professionals in rural, low-income regions of northern Ghana. Through short-term certificate scholarship programs, 44 wiring technicians, including 10 women, graduated, marking an 80 per cent increase in certified women wiring technicians. This surge in skilled professionals has not only lowered wiring costs but also deterred the use of illegal electricity connections, thereby enhancing safety standards.
Grace Lang, USAID/Ghana Deputy Mission Director, commended the collaborative efforts between WAEP and the Northern Electricity Development Company (NEDCo) in improving revenue generation for the energy sector. Notably, a successful pilot project led to a 57 per cent reduction in collection losses in the Yendi district, underscoring the tangible impact of strategic partnerships.
Industry experts and program partners convened to discuss regional and global energy trends, emphasizing collaborative endeavors aimed at enhancing energy access and affordability across West Africa.
As Ghana’s largest bilateral development partner, the United States reaffirms its commitment to fostering sustainable development. In 2023, USAID’s bilateral development assistance of over $140 million underscored its dedication to supporting economic growth, agriculture, health, education, and governance initiatives in the region.
Related Knowledge Center: Climate economics
Climate change is now a driver of the world’s economy. The impact is profound:
- Catastrophic weather events — hurricanes, floods, droughts, high temperatures — are more frequent and more extreme. The cost can be measured in both the initial damage caused and the longer-term impact on the economy.
- Vulnerable communities are increasing climate-related investments, hardening infrastructure and taking other protective measures.
- Investment in carbon capture and storage technologies is increasingly rapidly.
- Governments are making investments and crafting regulations to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
On top of all of this is the cost of uncertainty. As the Fourth National Climate Assessment, released in 2018 by the U.S. Global Change Research Program, says, “The assumption that current and future climate conditions will resemble the recent past is no longer valid.”