In 2016, the government launched a solar rooftop project to encourage households and businesses to install solar panels and sell excess power to the national grid. The project aimed to add 200,000 solar PV systems on rooftops in the country to reduce peak load.
The program was redubbed “Government Goes Solar” and was re-launched in 2018.
However, it looks like the project has fallen far short of its target. What went wrong?
There are several factors that contributed to the failure of the project. One of them is the lack of incentives and subsidies for solar users.
About The Program
Under the new rebate program, the applicants were required to pay only for the cost of the balance of system components (BOS). This means inverters, batteries, charge controllers, breakers, switches, cables, and installation works. PV systems installed under the program can sell their power surplus to the local grid through a net-metering scheme.
No power limit was set for PV projects to be eligible to have access to net-metering.
The government initially promised to pay 34 cents per kilowatt-hour for solar power fed into the grid, but later reduced it to 10 cents, making it less attractive to potential investors.
High Cost
Moreover, the upfront cost of installing solar panels was still high for many households and businesses, especially in rural areas where access to credit is limited.
Grid Infrastructure
Another factor was the poor quality and reliability of the grid infrastructure. Many parts of the country suffer from frequent power outages and voltage fluctuations, which can damage solar equipment and reduce its efficiency.
Furthermore, the grid was not designed to accommodate variable and intermittent sources of power like solar, which would require smart meters and inverters to regulate the flow of electricity.
Lack of Awareness
A third factor is the lack of awareness and education about the benefits of solar energy. Many people in Ghana are not familiar with how solar systems work and how they can save money and reduce emissions in the long run. Some also have misconceptions about the safety and durability of solar panels, or prefer to stick to conventional sources of power that they are used to.
To revive the solar rooftop project, the government needs to address these challenges and provide more support and incentives for solar users.
It also needs to improve the grid infrastructure and expand its capacity to integrate more renewable energy sources.
Finally, it needs to raise public awareness and trust in solar technology and its potential to transform Ghana’s energy sector.
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