The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) has called on the Government to expand incentives for renewable energy projects to support industrial growth and sustainable power supply.

The Association said measures such as tax reliefs on renewable energy technologies, affordable green financing and streamlined regulatory processes were needed to encourage investment in the sector.

Dr Kofi Nsiah-Poku, President of AGI, made the call at the opening of a sustainable energy business-to-business expo organised by the Association in Accra on the theme: “Powering Industry Through Sustainable Energy.”

He said a reliable and uninterrupted electricity supply was critical to sustaining Ghana’s industrial growth and the Government’s 24-hour economy agenda.

Dr Nsiah-Poku said AGI believed the future of Ghanaian industry depended on the adoption of cleaner, smarter and more efficient energy solutions.

He said the establishment of the AGI Energy Service Centre was aimed at supporting businesses with technical guidance and energy efficiency solutions.

Mr Seth Mahu, Director of Renewable Energy at the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, urged businesses to adopt hybrid energy sources to address intermittent power supply challenges.

He said investment in renewable energy and energy storage systems would improve operational efficiency, reduce operational costs and enhance businesses’ green ratings.

“The solar technology alone is available effectively for five hours per day. What happens beyond the other hours that we need energy the most?” he asked.

Mr Mahu said the Ministry was collaborating with partners to build a resilient national grid system to facilitate the integration of renewable energy.

“Our ultimate goal is to bring on board not less than 1,400 megawatts of installed capacity.

“Currently, we are at around 350 megawatts and have pipeline projects that can be delivered close to 600 megawatts by 2028,” he said.

Mr Mahu said the Ministry had established interventions, including a renewable energy fund, to support decarbonisation efforts within the energy sector.

“As a ministry, we deem it necessary to decarbonise our sector through interventions, including the establishment of the renewable energy fund to provide financial support to the sector,” he said.

Mr Mahu said the Ministry had also launched a net metering web application portal under the Scaling-Up Renewable Energy Programme to facilitate access to smart net meters.

The platform allows individuals and organisations generating electricity through solar photovoltaic systems to export excess power to the national grid and receive credits to offset electricity bills.