Climate Change and the Viability of Renewable Energy in Ghana

Abstract

The observed changes in climate is expected to have adverse effects on the demand and supply of energy as projected by most global climate models, due to growth in towns, cities and other socio-economic indicators globally. As such, there is the need for countries to start considering clean but sustainable energy technologies to support other existing sources of energy and possibly reduce or stop the usage of those energy sources that tend to emit more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and the pollute the environment. The application of renewable energy technologies that support measures to mitigate climate change but yet meet the future energy demands is highly recommended. However, there are certain global and national challenges that also inhibit the opportunities to be realized from the successful application of these renewable energy technologies. Inadequate information on these modern energy sources to create the awareness, easy access or availability to the raw materials and technology, and market failures for the application of these renewable energy resources are the identified challenges that contribute to these hindrances. This study sought to assess the viability of alternative but clean renewable energy resources, with much emphasis on the need to harness the tremendous energy from Wave energy, as a way of augmenting the existing sources of electrical energy in Ghana, with the threat of global climate change looming. The study further suggested that there was the need for proper regulatory and legal frameworks to ensure sustainability of any future renewable energy technology facilities, and the need to further partner with other countries that have been successful with these technologies, whiles encouraging private-public partnership as a means of financing the construction and operation of any future renewable energy technology plants.