Bui Power, University of Ghana sign MoU on solar power

The Bui Power Authority (BPA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the University of Ghana to provide a 2.5 megawatts (MW) solar farm for the university.

The agreement will grant the BPA access to the project site, covering about 10 acres, to conduct feasibility studies on the project.

The MoU covers the scope of work, design, implementation plan and financing.

Apart from generating electricity, which will be tied to the national interconnected transmission system, the project will also serve as a research centre for the university.

The feasibility studies are expected to be completed within a month.

The CEO of the BPA, Mr Fred Oware, signed for the authority, while the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Office of Research Innovation and Development, Prof.

Francis Dodoo, signed for the university.

Engagements

Mr Oware said the MoU was a product of more than a year of engagement with the university on the solar project.

He said a lot of studies had been done behind the scenes on the project, which would turn around the energy situation in the university.

He said the MoU would enable the BPA Board to provide funding for the project, adding: “Today puts our best foot forward towards the realisation of this project.”

He said work had started on a 100MW solar farm by the BPA at Bui.
“If we pass the feasibility stage and we get authorisation from you, we will be happy to complete it in a very short time.

We are doing this with our own engineers and technicians.

“Once we finish it, the university will also benefit from our students’ partnership, which we have had over the years.

There will be no expatriate in the team,” he added.

He said the authority would work with the Engineering Department of the university for students to gain practical experience.

Mr Oware declined to give the cost of the project, saying “we guarantee you that what we will give you will be first-class work”.

Project

For his part, Prof. Dodoo described as fruitful the partnership with the BPA on the project, which included the use of windmills for power generation.

He said the project, when completed, would significantly reduce the university’s power woes.

“The vice-chancellor sees this as an opportunity for our scientists, scholars and students to latch on,” he said.

The Dean of the university’s College of Engineering Sciences, Prof. Boateng Onwona-Agyeman, also said the project, when completed, would significantly reduce power consumption by the university.