Regent University to go into solar panel production

Regent University of Science of Technology says it will soon start training its students in renewable energy and equip them adequately in the manufacturing of solar panels.

The new president of that University, Prof Nicholas Nsowah-Nuamah has announced plans by his administration to establish research projects in solar technology with the aim of developing and manufacturing solar panels and producing portable solar energy devices to power electronic products in Ghana and in Africa.

“We are going to start this year and we are going to make it cheap so that by the end of my first term in office, people should have solar panels on their roofs,” he told this paper in an interview.

Within two weeks of his assumption of office as President, Prof Nsowah-Nuamah who is passionate about technology started pooling resources to get his agenda for the institution on track.

According to him, he had succeeded in employing a Ghanaian expert in the production of solar panels who was based in Canada.

“He has stayed in Canada for 30 years but upon the contacts I made with him, he has come down to stay assemble the materials needed for the production of solar panels,” the Regent President said.

According to him, the most expensive aspect of the solar energy which has so far acted as a disincentive to many is the solar panels.
Solar panels are made from silicon which according to Prof Nsowah-Nuamah is common to find in Ghana.

The Regent President pointed out that he would not spearhead the initiative alone. He would collaborate with industry to find out how small enterprises can be helped to produce solar panels for the domestic market.

“We will reach out to industry and help them come up with small scale businesses producing solar panel and other products,” Prof Nsowah-Nuamah said.
Students of the university would thus be trained in solar panel production after which they will set up their own businesses and produce to meet the needs of industry.

“We’re not going to train students who will finish Regent university and go looking for jobs; what they will be looking for will be financial support to establish their own businesses,” the president stated.