Mfantsiman Girls’ Senior High School (SHS) has won the second edition for the Southern Zone of the Senior High Schools’ Renewable Energy Challenge.

Accra Technical Training Centre (ATTC) and Mamfe Methodist Girls SHS took second and third places respectively.

Winners from the Southern Zone will face-off top three schools from the Northern Zone, comprising Gyaama Pensan Senior High Technical School, who emerged winners of the Zone along with Achirensuan SHS and Navarongo SHS.

Mr Oscar Amonoo-Neizer, Executive Secretary of the Energy Commission, speaking at the event in Accra, commended the students for the excellent ideas and presentations made.

He said schools that had their projects selected in the grand finale would be offered a platform to showcase their projects at the Annual Ghana Renewable Energy Fair, where the most outstanding projects would be awarded prizes.

Mr Amonoo-Neizer said the Commission was implementing a component of the Energy Efficiency and Demand-side Management with Ghana Education Service under the sponsorship of the Millennium Development Authority.

“The collaboration had seen the mainstreaming of energy efficiency and renewable energy into the Pre-tertiary schools’ curriculum. The Energy Commission is again collaborating with the Ghana Education Service on the Sustainable Woodlot for Schools Programme, which commenced in 2014,” he said.

Mr Amonoo-Neizer said the objective of the Programme is to promote the establishment of woodlots in schools as a sustainable source of fuel for cooking and heating.

He said it would reduce over-reliance on woodfuel harvested unsustainably from forest reserves and unprotected areas, and also reduce the schools’ cooking energy expenses.

“A total of about 500 hectares of cassia woodlots have been established in 120 schools,” he added.

Director of the Bui Power Authority, Mr Wisdom Ahiataku-Togobo, said the top three winners at the national stage would get special packages, including an all-expense-paid trip to the power generation stations of the Bui Power Authority.

He said the trip included the Wli Waterfalls, which he said would soon be developed by Bui Power Authority to generate electricity into the national grid.

Mr Ahiataku-Togobo urged the students to put in their efforts as the challenge could be a lifetime opportunity for them.

Chief Programme Officer in charge of Bio-Energy at the Energy Commission, Mr Julius Nkansah-Nyarko, said the Commission would be collaborating with research institutions in the country such as Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, the Brew Hammond Energy Centre at KNUST, to help refine the ideas and projects of the students.

“This will enable us mentor, train and prepare the students for the finals,” he added.

Ms Abigail Esinam Hededzi, one of the contestants, who won the zonal challenge, commended the Energy Commission for initiating such an educational programme in the country.

She said the competition provided them with the opportunity to learn more and to share ideas, adding that going to the final level of the competition they would improve on some of the areas their project fell short to ensure that they emerge the final winners for this year’s competition.

The school won the competition with a percentage of 84.7, whilst Accra Technical Training Centre (ATTC) took the second position with 81 per cent and Mamfe Methodist Girls SHS took the third position with 79 per cent.

Anlo SHS and Bueman SHS both attained fourth and fifth position respectively with 78.3 per cent and 77 per cent, while Takoradi Technical Institute (TTI) took the sixth position with 75.7 per cent.

The second edition of the Senior High Schools’ Renewable Energy for the year 2021 was organized by the Energy Commission of Ghana in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service and sponsored by the Bui Power Authority.

The grand finale is slated for October, 14, with the six schools from both zones competing for top position.