The recent Solar & Off-Grid Renewables West Africa Event that took place in Ghana did come for nothing to Ghanaian as 100,000 off-grid homes will now be supplied with affordable solar power supply through a pay-as-you-go solar power program.
The PayGo solar system initiative was announced by Azuri during the event which took place in Accra, Ghana. Simon Bransfield-Garth, CEO of Azuri Technology said the initiative would build on previously successful initiatives (for the last 18 months) by Ghanaian Government, for rural homes.
Ghana’s Minister for Power, Dr. Kwabena Donkor said the project would help in government’s initiative to fully incorporate renewables into country’s energy mix.
The program, which will help cut down the number of Ghanians (5 million) who can’t access mains supply, is an initiative of a joint venture between Azuri Technologies, a foreign company and Oasis African Resource Company.
The pay-as-you-go solar power program will be targeted to cocoa farming regions in the country.
The beneficiaries will be entitled to Quad product from Azuri’s, each including a 10W solar panel, four LED lamps, USB connectors for charging phones, digital switch, and a radio/MP3 player. The lamps were designed in partnership with Philips Lighting.
A beneficiary can pay for the pay-as-you-go solar power system for about 18 months through regular purchase of top-up credits. The solar power program will help cut down lighting and charging costs according to Azuri, a firm based in Cambridge, United Kingdom but with operations in 10 countries in Sub-Sahara Africa.
The Minister said in order to overcome power challenges faced throughout the country, more avenues for power generation will be considered with Oasis and Azuri and other renewable energy partners.
President John Dramani Mahama announced this in his State of the Nation address delivered to Parliament in Accra on February announced government’s bid to install 200,000 rooftop solar power systems that will boost the country’s power supply this year by generating 200 megawatts of power daily.
Ghana has also initiated other projects that are targeted at easing power shortages, including the 120MW of interim power ship to be supplied by Karpowership and 155MW Nzema solar park.
