Ghana - Energy Ministry assessing wind energy potential in Keta

The Ministry of Energy is undertaking a wind speed measurement at various locations in the Keta district where a wind energy mast has been installed to assess the wind energy potential in the area.
The Ministry intends to use results of the study to work with the private sector to exploit the wind resource potential to generate power in line with government's policy, Deputy Energy Minister, Mr K. Amporful Twumasi, said in Parliament on Thursday.

He was responding to a question on efforts to exploit the wind energy resource potential of the Keta district for generation of electricity.

The Deputy Minister said for the Anloga area, specifically, measurements have been taken for a mast height of 20 metres for which an average wind speed of six metres per second was recorded over a period of one year.

"To confirm this wind speed, the measurements need to be taken for another two years," he explained.

Mr Twumasi, in response to another question said there was a programme to expand the distribution of solar systems in the country to support the "current off-grid solar electrification programmes."

He was responding to a question on when the proposed solar electrification programme for some selected villages and towns in some districts in the southern sector of the country, including the Afram Plains would take off.

“The Ministry was in the process of securing a five-million mixed credit facility from the Spanish government for the supply and installation of solar systems. "Work is expected to commence in 2008 as soon as the systems are supplied from Spain.

"Under the project, some selected communities in the southern sector of Ghana including the Afram Plains will benefit," he said.