Wind turbines may one day power the majority of homes in Ghana.
The majority of rural homes in Ghana remain in the dark, and it is unlikely that the West African countrys isolated communities will see the light in the night anytime soon. The expense to connect them to existing urban power grids is simply too great.
But a local nonprofit organization, Rural Energy and Environmental Systems (REES), wants to bring power to the poor—by supplying affordable, reliable electricity to the remote areas and developing a local wind-turbine manufacturing industry.
The NGO was joined in its efforts to establish a local supply chain for wind turbines by two international institutions, EnterpriseWorks Ghana and UKs Scoraig Wind Electric.
Together, with the help of a Development Marketplace grant from the World Bank, they designed and piloted a 500-watt wind turbine prototype suitable for local conditions.
Eighteen local manufacturers, along with technicians from four local companies, have been trained to build, install and repair small wind turbines. REES also established “demonstration centers” to provide technical assistance in marketing and quality control.
Favorable credit terms have been negotiated for villages wishing acquire wind-powered electricity, as well as for companies interested in entering the wind sector.
Following the pilot stage, the project team aims to train more local manufacturers and eventually market the new Ghanaian-made wind turbines on a mass scale. This could stimulate creation of a new local industry and create new jobs opportunities.
The project has picked up support from CSIR, Africas largest institution for R and D, technology and innovation.
Kilde: www.worldbank.org
