Ghana Chamber of Mines installs smart grid-tied solar power system
The Ghana Chamber of Mines (GCM) has installed an 84 kWp smart grid-tied solar photovoltaic (PV) system at its secretariat in Accra, Ghana.
The solar PV system is part of GCM’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint and promote environmentally and socially responsible mining. . The installation of the solar PV system is also in line with the Sustainable Development Goal 7, which aims to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.
Statutory payments
The system which was constructed by renewable power developer Stella Futura, has the capacity to generate 111,000 kWh of clean energy, meeting 75% of GCM’s electricity requirement and reducing its dependency on the national grid.
GCM’s CEO, Sulemanu Koney, has called for more incentives on clean energy projects and the waiver of statutory taxes and levies at the service provision end to encourage the transition to cleaner energy. He explained that that high statutory payments were disincentives to the clean energy transition. Nearly 11% of the solar project’s contract cost represents statutory taxes and levies. Although the government has exempted imported solar panels from the value added tax, the payment for the whole project are still subjected to these statutory taxes and levies.
In support of the motion, George Nutor, the First Vice President of the GCM, stated that the the mining industry is in the era of era of implementing Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles in their business operations, and transition to clean energy falls under the ESG. It is imperative for GCM to take the lead to just energy transition as most investors favours renewable energy.
