Energy entrepreneurship workshop opens

Kumasi (Ashanti), 22nd June 99 ?

A five-day in-country workshop on energy efficiency entrepreneurship, opened in Kumasi on Monday.

It is aimed at sharpening the business development and management skills of energy efficient entrepreneurs in the management of energy service enterprises.

It is being organised by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Energy and Environment Training Programme (EETP) and the Energy Foundation, with resource persons from Institute of International Education, Washington, United States.

Mr Fred Ohene-Kena, Minister of Mines and Energy, who delivered the keynote address said to reduce the cost of production in industry, it was necessary to use energy efficiently.

He said it has been estimated that the level of waste in the use of electricity in the country is over 20 per cent, that means consumers waste the entire energy generated from the Kpong water plant, adding, "this is sad and highly unacceptable."

Mr Ohene-Kena said with the rising cost of power generation, transmission and distribution coupled with the harmful environmental impact of thermal power production, it has become imperative for Ghanaians to take a second look at the way energy is used if the objective of Vision 2020 is to be achieved.

He said comparing energy consumption patterns of middle income countries to that of Ghana, would reveal that the country would have to increase energy supply to between five and nine times the present capacity, to propel agriculture, industry, commerce, tourism and mining to achieve a middle income status.

He said the Ministry would, therefore, continue to assist and encourage consumers to employ the most efficient technologies to avoid waste in the system.