The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and the ECOWAS Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to cooperate in the “promotion of renewable energy and energy efficiency energy systems and services, sharing best practice, tapping into global expertise and project financing opportunities and raising the profile of local/regional expertise and projects.”

The MOU was signed during the 1st International Solar Energy Experts (I-SEE) Workshop which was held at the College of Engineering at KNUST from 2 -4 August 2011. Signing the MOU, the Vice Chancellor of KNUST Prof William Otoo-Ellis expressed the University’s preparedness to work with ECREEE in undertaking projects for the benefit of the entire sub-region.   

In his remarks, the Executive Director of ECREEE, Mr Mahama Kappiah expressed his satisfaction with the ongoing collaboration with the University and hoped that the signing of the MOU will provide a framework for expanding scope of the partnership.  He indicated that ECREEE is strategically partnering three institutions in the sub-region to serve as capacity building nodes for the Regional Center, he named these institutions as: The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana, the International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering (2iE) in Burkina Faso and the University of Cape Verde. 

Present at the signing ceremony were the Director of the African Energy Commission (AFREC), Dr Hussein Elhag, Dr Thameur Chaibi from the Pan African University Secretariat of the African Union, Prof Yezouma Coulibaly from 2iE and many other energy experts who had converged at KNUST from around Africa and beyond for the I-SEE. 

The I-SEE is part of the knowledge networking and sharing component of a Capacity Upgrading Project for the West African Partners in the Renewable Energy Education Project (REEP), and is supported by the World Bank under the Clean Energy Investment Framework Multi-Donor Trust Fund.   

The MOU was facilitated from the KNUST side by Prof Abeeku Brew-Hammond, Director of The Energy Center.