The Energy Center (TEC) is implementing a project dubbed ‘Building a reliable energy access database to promote sustainable energy expansion in Ghana.

The project which is being funded by the Vienna-based Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) as the main donor and the Energy Commission of Ghana as co-funders commenced in June 2013 and has a duration of 12 months.

Due to difficulties in obtaining the necessary data to monitor progress in increasing energy access in Ghana, the proposal for an Energy Access Data (EAD) Task Force came up at stakeholder forum organised for representatives from the Ministry of Energy (MoEn), Energy Commission (EC) and the distribution utilities (VRA/NED and ECG). 

The EAD Task Force therefore seeks to collate and analyze all data required to monitor progress in the implementation of energy access programmes in Ghana and to provide timely information to Government and other stakeholders.

Agencies included in the task force are: Energy Commission (Convener and Chair); National Petroleum Authority; Northern Electricity Distribution Company; Electricity Company of Ghana; Ghana Statistical Service; The Energy Center, KNUST; CERSGIS, University of Ghana, Legon; and Ministry of Local Government & Rural Development (representing MMDAs). Additional agencies can be co-opted as needed. 

The REEEP-funded project is therefore intended to kick-start the EAD Task Force into operation. The project has the following specific objectives:

• To provide a forum for meetings of the Energy Access Data Task Force established by the national  forum of energy-sector Board Chairs and CEOs;

• To use the Task Force as a mechanism for collection, collation and systematization of historical energy  access data; and 

• To disseminate the data to key stakeholders at district, national and international levels.  

 Thus the main output of the project will be a database of collated systemized energy access data collected from all the agencies mentioned above, which will be handed over to the Energy Commission, the main beneficiary of this project. The database will be publicly accessible when completed. 

It is expected that the project output should help improve and facilitate development planning, research and investment.  

For further information on this initiative contact the Ms. Gifty Serwaa Mensah (Project Coordinator):  

Email - gmens82@yahoo.com, Tel - +233 26 6608463

Ms. Mensah is also a PhD candidate (Development Studies) with the Department of Planning of KNUST, working on energy access indicators.