The Energy Commission has explained the 400 million dollar Photovoltaic (PV) solar power would be critical in the country’s bid to achieve optimum levels in energy generation. The plant is expected to produce an additional 155Mega Watts - representing 6 percent of the country’s current power generation capacity of 2000 Mega Watts. It is to be located in the Western Region and will be the largest solar power plant in Africa when completed by October 2015. An indigenous firm, Mere Power Nzema Limited is building this plant in collaboration with foreign renewable energy developers like Blue Energy. The Head of Renewable Energy at the Energy Commission, Kwabena Otu Danquah gave more details in an interview with JOY BUSINESS. “At the moment they have been granted a provisional licence which has a life span of 1 year – meaning after one year, if they are unable to mobilize funding and start construction, it would expire. Government has a policy target of 10 percent from renewable energy regarding the country’s energy mix by the year 2020. So bringing in a155 Mega Watts solar plant means that we would heading towards achieving this target” he said. Construction works are scheduled to begin by the end of next year and the plant is projected to provide electricity to more than a 100 thousand homes. According to Mr. Otu Danquah, the need for the country to develop its renewable energy sources cannot be overemphasized. “We have several renewable energy resources in the country. We have wind, biomass, hydro and solar as well and so we are going to encourage the development of all these resources. As a nation we have to diversify and one of advantage of renewable energy is that it is environmentally-friendly the resource is indigenous and so the need to develop it for energy security” he added.