Ghana will soon update its feed-in-tariff (FiT) programme for solar to include the possibility of having contracts last for 20 years, a government official has announced.
Ghana FIT
The country was forced to introduce the cap after being overwhelmed with applications for generation licences under the country’s fledgling feed-in tariff programme.
The Renewable Energy Act 2011 introduced a feed-in-tariff for wind projects of GHS 0.32/kWh ($0.09/kWh) in order to encourage the development of wind energy in the country.
Renewable energy companies and investors in Germany and parts of Europe have welcomed the increment and the setting of feed-in tariffs by the Ministry of Energy that will help attract independent power producers.
Known as the Renewable Energy Feed-in-rates Scheme, the special tariff regime is intended to stimulate investment in the renewable energy sector to boost the country’s energy generation mix.
Minister of Energy, Dr Joe Oteng-Agyei, said, “The government through the Energy Commission is promoting a Renewable Energy Law to ensure the integration of renewable energy into the national energy mix to enhance energy security, provide a regulatory framework to enable investors in renewable energy to ply their trade devoid of barriers associated with Renewable Energy, improve access to clean energy and address issues of climate change. The law, according to the minister, will provide for a feed-in-tariff mechanism to encourage by legalization, the adoption and use of renewable energy in the country.”
Ghana’s Cabinet has approved the Renewable Energy Bill which seeks to integrate renewable energy security in the country. The bill provides for a feed-in tariff mechanism to encourage the adoption and use of renewable energy. The Executive Secretary of the Energy Commission, Dr Alfred K. Ofosu Ahenkorah, told the Daily Graphic that the bill would be sent to Parliament for consideration and possible approval.
