The grid operators in Ghana face some challenges. As there is little industry, the consumption peak is in the evening – as in many African countries – and generates a large part of the energy costs. Adding solar plants does not solve this problem, but aggravates problems with grid quality (frequency fluctuations, voltage spikes and dips).
In early December, two Swistec employees, Werner Frei and Fabian Ulmer, spent two weeks analysing the situation on site. The aim is to launch a pilot project in cooperation with local stakeholders, the SECO and the climate investment funds (CIF) to evaluate the usefulness of a load management system by shifting the load peak and locally regulating the grid quality. To this end, we engaged with local grid operators and various authorities, presented our project and obtained feedback, which was positive throughout. We benefited from the experience and contacts of Werner Frei, who has been active in Ghana for many years. So we can now count on a team of local, trained staff who will support us in the implementation.
We are excited and are looking forward to a successful project!
