Kpedze Senior High School has emerged as Volta Regional winners of the Energy Commission’s Senior High Schools’ Renewable Energy Challenge.

The school beat competition from other 6 senior high schools with its prototype Solar dehydrators designed to preserve vegetables and fruits.

The Energy Commission initiated a quest to promote the study of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, in Senior High Schools some 3 years ago. 

The initiative aims at improving research and development in Senior High Schools and as well help students to put what they have been thought into practice. 

This year’s project focuses on identifying practicable solutions for using renewable energy to cook and preserve food.

In the Volta Region, 7 schools presented prototype modules.

Mawuli School, Bishop Herman College, Anlo SHS and Awudome SHS, presented various modules of a solar cooker. 

The cookers were designed to harness and convert light energy to heat energy to cook food in an insulated wooden box.

Tsito Senior High Technical School modelled an electric stove, blender and oven powered by solar energy. The participants added a mechanism to conserve energy for use when the sun is down. 

Keta Senior High School modelled a device which produces electricity through footsteps. The students believe the device could serve as a cheap alternative for electricity.

A Food preservation system designed to use solar dehydrators, to process fruits and vegetables presented by the Kpedze Senior High School, was adjudged the best project. 

The device which includes a refrigerator is designed to reduce contamination during food processing and maintain nutrients level.

Kpedze Senior High School would contest at the Zonal level, hoping to qualify for the final contest in Accra. 

The Senior Manager of the Energy Commission and Project Coordinator, Julius Nkansah Nyarko, was enthused with the level of knowledge exhibited by the contesting schools, and encouraged the winners to conduct further research to improve on the system.

He detailed that the Energy Commission's Renewable Energy Challenge would not only enrich the knowledge of the students in STEM but could also serve a medium to riches in the near future.

He said that the commission is hoping to further develop and commercialize some of the projects in a bid to promote the use renewable energy for cooking and preserving food in Ghana,