Kumasi's largest rooftop solar power plant goes into operation. With a capacity of 4.3 MW, the facility supplies clean electricity to metallurgist Rider Steel. A major step towards decarbonizing Ghana's steel industry.
The decarbonization of industry is well underway in Ghana. As proof, one of the largest power plants dedicated to a commercial and industrial (C&I) operator was recently inaugurated in the economic capital Kumasi. It was built by Daystar Power, a renewable energy producer based in Lagos, Nigeria. The company, which is owned by Anglo-Dutch oil group Shell, installed 7,524 solar panels on the roof of the Rider Steel factory.
Connected to Ghana’s national electricity grid, the facility boasts a capacity of 4.3 MWp, making it one of the largest industrial-scale plants of its kind inaugurated in West Africa. “It’s a convincing example of how solar energy can power heavy industry and integrate seamlessly into the grid,” enthuses Jasper Graf von Hardenberg, CEO of Daystar Power.
Decarbonizing an energy-intensive sector
“This solar installation will enable us to cover 20% of our electricity needs from clean, sustainable energy sources, and underlines our commitment to promoting sustainable steel recycling in Ghana and throughout West Africa,” explains Walid Al-Alami, Rider Steel’s Managing Director in Ghana. According to its partner Daystar Power, the solar power plant will enable the steelmaker to offset 49,900 tonnes of CO2 emissions over the next 20 years.
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This is the lifespan of the plant, the construction of which is in line with Rider Steel’s development and decarbonization strategy in Ghana. In 2020, the company received support from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in the form of a $12 million financing package for the construction of a new plant designed to increase Ghana’s total steel production by over 75%, using mainly locally sourced steel scrap.
Although steel is an essential material in modern life, it is also the biggest emitter of CO2 among heavy industries, and the second biggest consumer of energy. According to the World Steel Association (WSA), the steel sector accounted for 7.6% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2018, and 31% of industrial emissions. Hence the urgency of decarbonization, notably through the adoption of renewable energies.
Jean Marie Takouleu
