Industry expert advocates regulation of solar systems installation
The Managing Director (MD) of Global Sustainable Energy Solutions, Australia, Mr Geoff Stapleton, has called for a regulatory framework to guide the installation of solar systems for maximum performance in the country.
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He has also advocated for the certification of people involved in the installation of solar systems to help sanitise the activity.
He explained that the guidelines and certification of installers were needed to reduce the poor installations of solar panels, which normally results in damages to the entire system.
Poor installation also causes the panel to perform below capacity or at worst, not work at all, Mr Stapleton said at a workshop in Accra.
The workshop was aimed at exploring the importance of solar energy for the country and the damages the system could suffer if not properly installed.
It was organised by Deng, a Danish development institution.
Certificates for installers
Mr Stapleton said poorly installed solar systems are normally exposed to climatic conditions, which then quicken their deterioration over short periods of time.
“Conditions like flood, erosion, cyclone and wind can damage a poorly installed solar array frame,” he said.
He explained that there had been instances where the solar panels have been damaged due to poor wiring and the use of substandard materials, raising the cost of the work.
Mr Stapleton was optimistic that a regulatory guideline by the local industry would go a long way to check these mishaps
“The local industry should be made to give out certificate to installers and designers. Once they know they fall under a union and they have been certified, they will always come up with good works so that their certificates cannot be withdrawn,” the MD added.
Finance for solar users
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Deng Limited, Mr Jens Schmidt, admitted that solar systems were critical for a country like Ghana, whose traditional energy sources, hydro, are under threat from climate change.
“Domestic consumers should adopt it for the country to conserve power in order to save enough energy,” he said.
Mr Schmidt said his company was looking at financing and developing a system that will serve a motivational package for industries to use for their operations.
“This means that if a production facility needs a 100 kilowatts of power, we could also add 150 kilowatts to be fixed on top of the roof and it would generate as much as they need throughout the day. That will bring their cost down to make them more competitive on the local market,” he noted.
Partnership for good
The Deng CEO added that his outfit was partnering the Energy Commission and the Ministry of Power to increase awareness on the use of solar.
Mr Schmidt disclosed that Deng had manufactured a solar-powered water pump, which would go a long way to help farmers that are not on the national grid.
“A lot of farmers in the country live in areas where there is no power, which makes them rely on fuel to power their pumps on additional cost,” he said.