By Dominic Hlordzi and Mabel Annang
The Energy Commission has developed comprehensive regulations that seek to guide operators in the renewable energy space on the “dos” and “don’ts” in the clean energy sector.
The main object of the regulations is to prevent the proliferation of substandard renewable energy products on the Ghanaian Market.
The regulations, when approved by Parliament, will make Ghana one of the first in sub-Saharan Africa with such guidelines governing the importation, manufacture, assembling, installation and general use of renewables in the country.
The guidelines which provide specifications on the quality of acceptable products and requirements to be met by operators will complement the existing renewable energy law in the country.
The law
The Government of Ghana in 2011, enacted the Renewable Energy Act , 2011 (Act 832) to provide an enabling environment and foster the development of the renewable resources of the country, which provided a regulatory licensing regime and imposed an obligation on utilities and bulk customers to purchase part of their electricity requirements from renewable resources.
The Act also established a feed-in-tariff scheme to ensure that investors in the renewable energy sector obtain a good rate of return in recognition of the high cost of renewable energy technologies and the resultant high unit cost of electricity particularly those from solar photovoltaic (PV) systems.
The Renewable Energy Act (Act 832) was however amended in 2020.
Speaking at a stakeholder meeting in Accra on the regulations, Director of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency at the Commission, Mr. Kofi Agyarko said Ghana is positioning itself to insulate its renewable energy market against substandard products.
“We are trying as a Commission to insulate the market using the right standards against substandard renewable products” He stated.
He said for the renewable energy market to work to expectation there is the need for high standards.
Mr. Agyarko pointed out that, “if consumers do not get their money’s worth in buying renewable products there will be no confidence in renewable energy and the market will collapse.”
The Director of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency highlighted the need for the regulations saying they will make existing standards bidding on stakeholders.
He urged players in renewable energy to endeavour to adhere to standards and best practices to ensure the growth of the renewable energy market in Ghana.
With the global trend of moving away from fossil fuel based energy and embracing renewables, countries are undertaking steps to ensure that investments in clean energy products are worthwhile.
It is in light of this and to build a solid renewable energy market that the Energy Commission is championing the adherence to best practices and standards.
The Secretary of the Association of Ghana Solar Industries Mr. Kwasi Agyenim Boateng welcomes the regulations and hopes they help sanitise the industry.
He observed that if there are no regulations Ghana may have “issues of quality, market spoilage, dumping of inferior products on the market”
“For us we are in support because this is our market, we have developed it and so we want to protect it. So anything that comes with that aim and spirit behind it we are in full support.” Mr. Kwasi Agyenim Boateng explains.
He however prayed that the regulations do become a tool to undermine their operations.
The regulations will among other things govern operations and installations relating to solar panels, batteries and inventors.
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