Ghana is now home to the largest floating solar PV system in West Africa. It is part of a hybrid plant that uses solar and hydraulic resources to generate and supply energy to the national grid.
The installation of 5 megawatts of the Bui generating station, in the Bono region, deploys photovoltaic modules in hydraulic infrastructure, preserving the soil and avoiding the felling of trees. Its engineers say the panels also create a healthy environment for fish spawning below, promoting fry production and supporting aquatic ecosystems.
However, the development of the hybrid photovoltaic-hydrosolar system has been controversial. More than a thousand people from eight communities have had to be resettled and critics are concerned about its environmental impact: its dam flooded around a fifth of the bordering national park, as well as fertile farmland, and fishermen living downstream say it Conditions have worsened since it was built. built.
But the plant is helping Ghana become more energy independent and move away from fossil fuels, and reach its goal of generating 10% of its electricity from renewable energy by 2030.
Maxwell Suuk Maxwell is a DW reporter based in Tamale, Northern Ghana.
