Energy Ministry committed to exploring new energy frontiers — Krapa

The Ministry of Energy is exploring new energy frontiers to support the country on the path to sustainable, environmentally sound and gender responsive economic growth, a Deputy Minister of Energy, Herbert Krapa, has assured.

In that regard, the ministry had established a national energy transition implementation committee with the national energy transition coordinating office at the Office of the President to drive the implementation of the framework.

Mr Krapa, who made this known at the 12th sustainable education and development research conference at the University of Environment and Sustainable Development at Somanya in the Eastern Region last Wednesday, said “We are working with the United Nations’ Sustainable Energy for All, to turn our framework into an investor friendly plan for global funding.”

Transition framework

The national energy transition framework and the energy transition investment plan would serve as a blueprint to transition the country into a climate-resilient low-carbon energy country, for accelerated development and the well-being of the citizens.

Africa is home to 16 per cent of the world’s population and produces less than three per cent of global emissions.

The African continent, however, felt very severely the problems of carbon dioxide even more than those who know much more about the problem such as rising sea levels, pollution, flooding, storms and droughts.

Access

On energy access and security, Mr Krapa said the country would expedite the exploration and production of oil and gas to fund the development of clean energy technologies.

Mr Krapa said his outfit was delighted with the conference since it would take research from institutions of higher learning such as universities to make inroads from energy security to food security and climate change.

He said the decarbonisation plan of the country would increase the share of renewable energy in the power generation mix.

He, therefore, encouraged greenhouse gas emitting industries to establish plantations to offset emissions.

He said the country would need in excess of $500 billion to achieve its energy transition plan to be launched on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly next month, and at COP 28 in November this year.

Clean energy

The Chairman of the University Council, Professor Jonathan Narh Ayertey, called on all stakeholders, including academia, industry, government and the community, to ensure access to affordable, reliable and modern energy for all.

He expressed optimism that the forum of scientific researchers in Africa would proffer solutions to achieving clean energy in Africa by 2030 as stipulated in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He said, “Our relentless exploitation of nature has pushed us dangerously close to climate catastrophe pointing out that “at this critical juncture, more than half of the world’s poorest countries are struggling with foreign debt and strong leadership is in short supply.”