Government urged to support academic, research institutions to advance renewal energy options

Professor Callistus Tengan, the Acting Dean, School of Engineering of the Bolgatanga Technical University (BTU), has called on the government to support academic and research institutions to advance technologies in renewable energy options.

He said this would help academic and research institutions to contribute to the country’s effort towards ensuring universal access to clean, affordable and reliable modern energy services to achieve sustainable energy for all.

The Acting Dean, who is also the Dean of the School of Built Environment, made the observation at an exhibition mounted by the Electrical and Electronics Engineering Department, for the final year Students of the University.

The exhibition was part of efforts to showcase their developed innovative project intervention in the areas of solar energy technologies.

Professor Tengan observed that the Upper East Region was endowed with abundant solar energy potential which could be tapped for installing and utilising solar energy technologies and systems.

He stated that the abundance of solar energy was not only limited to the region but available in the other five (5) regions of northern Ghana, including the Northern, Savannah, Upper West, and North East.

“A very robust and efficient power sector will not only create convenience for homes and workplaces but will also be a catalyst to our industrial agenda in the 21st century.

“These five regions are endowed with vast solar energy resources which are a good resource for advancing solar technologies and could serve as an alternative source to hydroelectric power,” Professor Tengan stressed.

He highlighted that harnessing the renewable energy potential and incorporating it into the existing energy portfolio of Ghana could help reduce, if not eradicate the frequent erratic power outages in the country.

He explained that one of the main reasons that informed the decision of the Bolgatanga Technical University to establish the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering was to complement the government’s efforts in tapping the solar energy potential in the region for the development of the country.

In furtherance, the Acting Dean stated that among the cardinal aims of the University was to blend academic learning with professional learning to help curtail unemployment in the country.

On his part, Mr Abdul-Majid Issah, the Acting Head of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, urged the final-year students to ensure that they continued to utilise the knowledge acquired to solve societal challenges.

As part of the academic requirements, the final year Electrical Engineering Students of the University came out with various initiatives and technologies.

The technologies included a designed and constructed solar dryer, and the design and implementation of a wireless notice board using a GSM module which displayed information sent via SMS, from a mobile device and hoped to reduce the large printing of material for notice boards.

Some students constructed a home energy management system that shuts down household gadgets when occupants are out of the facility and the system is built to detect motion which suggests the presence of an individual who can probably shut down the gadgets or is using them.

The students also built a hand-held portable lawn mower with a small rechargeable battery used for mowing, an automatic water pump control and alert system, and a smart under and over-voltage protection system using a GSM module amongst others.

The exhibition ceremony attracted stakeholders, including Prof. Peter Osei Boamah, the Pro Vice Chancellor of the University and other top management.