The Sustainable Energy Service Laboratory at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, in collaboration with Consortio Limited-UK, Ian Byrne Energy & Carbon Consultancy Services (IBECCS-UK), and EEK Consults & Electricals Limited-Ghana, have won a two-year grant worth Seven Hundred and Three Thousand, One Hundred and Sixty-One Pounds (£703,161) from the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). This grant is aimed at a research project on Institutional and Community Solar Cooking on Mini-grids in Ghana.
The project, titled "Ghana GOALS: Generation, Operation, and Access to Energy at Lowest Carbon and Cost Solutions," is part of the Energy Catalyst Round 9 Competition, which is an Innovate UK programme with funding from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) under the UK Government’s Ayrton Fund for clean energy innovation.
Elaborating on the project, Ing. Dr. Richard Opoku, the Principal Investigator and Senior Lecturer at KNUST explained that the project aims to establish self-sustaining smart energy communities with access to clean renewable energy and innovative cooking technologies. This, he said, will reduce the reliance on foraged firewood, charcoal, and kerosene while improving air quality and working conditions, especially for women and girls. He added that the project will also test a new concept for modern energy cooking, utilising mini-grids powered by solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and thermal batteries for overnight energy storage.
Dr. Opoku disclosed that the project will be tested at some selected Senior High Schools (SHS) and an off-grid community in Ghana to evaluate different business models for replication. These schools include an all-girls school and a mixed school, to conduct cooking trials. He also mentioned that the project aligns with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including 5, 7, 13, and 17, on climate action, clean and affordable energy, gender diversity, and global partnerships for sustainable development.
Ms. Rajvant Nijjhar, CEO of Consortio Limited and the Project Lead, expressed her excitement about the project. She noted that this work on mini-grids and clean cooking will provide much-needed clean, green, and affordable energy access to schools and local communities across Ghana. "We look forward to the UK-Ghana cross-collaboration and building upon the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals as well as the recent 27th United Nations Climate Change conference (COP27). We hope to make significant progress in green energy and clean cooking here in Ghana and to take these solutions to the rest of the Sub-Saharan Africa," she remarked.
The Vice-Chancellor of KNUST, Professor (Mrs.) Rita Akosua Dickson congratulated the team for winning the grant. She emphasised the crucial role of KNUST, a research-intensive Institution in tackling the challenges confronting humanity, notably the adverse effects of greenhouse gas emissions on the environment.
Accompanying Rajvant Nijjhar was Mr. Ian Byrne, the Principal of IBECCS. Mr. Byrne will provide support in the areas of carbon accounting and stakeholder engagement, thus ensuring that the project adheres to best practices and industry standards.