The Energy Ministry says it has distributed 420,000 free clean cookstoves to rural communities across Ghana.

Deputy Minister of Energy, Herbert Krappa, says the government will continue in the pursuit of clean and affordable energy for the people of Ghana.

Speaking at the 12th Sustainable Education and Development Conference at the University of Environment and Sustainable Development, Deputy Minister for Energy Herbert Krappa indicated that the country is committed to achieving 10% modern renewable energy installed capacity in the national energy mix by 2030.

According to the Energy Ministry, Ghana has discovered critical (green) minerals, including lithium and graphite, in significant quantities, and their extraction will be done sustainably while making efficient use of them through value addition to establish Ghana as a hub for electric vehicles, and the production of battery technologies.

“Two-thirds of indoor air pollution, he explains, has been linked to wood fuels for cooking and domestic use. And we know the health implications of this for our women and girls...And that is why the Ministry of Energy is distributing free Clean Cookstoves to rural communities across Ghana,” he averred.

Mr. Krappa says the government has established a National Energy Transition Implementation Committee, with the National Energy Transition Coordinating Office at the Office of the President to drive the implementation of the framework.

He explains that the National Energy Transition Framework and the Energy Transition Investment Plan will serve as blueprints to transition Ghana into a climate-resilient low-carbon energy country, for accelerated development and the well-being of our people. 

He stated, “And on Energy Efficiency, we will continue to promote the use of best-in-class energy appliances, energy efficiency in SMEs, and the use of clean cookstoves.  Our target is to ensure 50% LPG penetration by 2030, and our Cylinder Recirculation Model, with which everyone can exchange an empty cylinder with a filled new one, will ensure affordability and safety.”

Herbert Krappa says the ministry will expedite Oil and Gas Exploration and Production to fund the development of Clean Energy Technologies, and we will continue to promote and encourage the use of LPG to reduce dependency on wood fuels.

“We believe in responsible exploration of our resources, and we believe in low-carbon oil and gas production. We will explore carbon capture technologies, low carbon auctions, and carbon offsetting while we produce our oil and gas reserves.”

He indicated that the Ministry of Energy requires in excess of $500 billion to achieve the country’s Energy Transition Plan, a plan the president is expected to launch on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly at COP 28 in November this year.

He pledged that the ministry will work more closely with academic institutions of higher learning for collaborative research, without which the path to net-zero carbon emissions will be as unpredictable as the weather patterns of today.