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Technical Assessment and Commissioning of 150 Solar Powered Irrigation Systems (SPIS) in Ghana

Title of Research

Technical Assessment and Commissioning of 150 Solar Powered Irrigation Systems (SPIS) in Ghana

Principal Investigator / Project Coordinator

Dr. Richard Opoku, Mechanical Engineering Department 

Research Team Members and Departments

  • Dr. David Ato Quansah, Mechanical Engineering Department
  • Ing. Gideon Nii Nyan Plange, GNP Engineering Services
  • Mr. Stephen Tettey Dongotey, Flowtec Engineeing Services
  • Mr. Bismark Baah, Mechanical Engineering Department
  • Mr. God’sable Aidam, Mechanical Engineering Department
  • Mr. Philip Acheampong Kwarteng, GNP Engineering Services
  • Mr. Darius Nii Ankrah, GNP Engineering Services
  • Mr. Samuel Boateng, GNP Engineering Services
  • Mr. Mohammed Naizer, GNP Engineering Services
  • Mr. Abeaku Badu Arthur, GNP Engineering Services
  • Mr. Johnson Owusu, GNP Engineering Services

Other Collaborating Institutions or Departments

Research Amount/ Grant size

GHS 1,071,642.50 (KNUST Share) 

Funding Agency/Source of funding

German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ)

Research Duration (Start and End Date)

September 2021 to July 2022 

Research Story/ Article

The Brew-Hammond Energy Centre (TBHEC), KNUST, has been contracted by GIZ to undertake consultancy services related to technical assessment and commissioning of 150 solar powered irrigation systems in Ghana, under the ‘People’s Green Energy (PGE)’ Project.

The PGE Project is a proposed country measure of a global project commissioned by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) with the main objective to improve conditions for supplying rural regions in selected African countries, including Ghana, with decentralised renewable energy. The project supports the adoption of modern energy through the introduction of alternative and sustainable renewable energy and energy efficient technologies with the participation of citizens and businesses. A key component of the country measure for Ghana focuses on the improvement of access to decentralised renewable energy systems by providing solar irrigation systems for farmers, enterprises active in rural areas, cooperatives and women's groups with the help of fiscal incentives, called results-based financing (RBF). Financial support upto 40% (or Euro 3,000) is available for beneficiaries who want to install SPIS on their farms. The financial support is given to farmers who are into animal or crop production.

For more information about the PGE project, contact the Project Lead:

Dr. Richard Opoku

Energy Consultant

The Brew-Hammond Energy Centre, KNUST

0240660955 (WhatsApp only)

ropoku.coe@knust.edu.gh

 

 

Knowledge Product RBF SPIS Ghana:

Fostering Investments into Solar Powered Irrigation through Results Based Financing in Ghana.

On five pages, you can get more key findings like:

•  63% of farmers report a significant reduc­tion in energy costs after installing SPIS,

•  45% of farmers report a significant increase of productivity,

•  92% of respondents state that their solar pump is still functioning.

as well as an outlook on sustainability:

SPIS technical training was also provided to several tech­nical experts from the Ministry of Energy and GIDA, who will follow up with technical support and operation and maintenance trainings for the farmers after the PGE-inter­vention has come to an end.