Electrical Energy Transition in the Context of Ghana

Abstract Background In Ghana, energy transition as a research theme is new and its manifestations are not glaring. It is inconclusive as to whether energy transition has occurred or not, and in what form if it has occurred. The study sought to find out if energy transition has occurred in Ghana’s electrical energy sector and how. Methods Pieces of information on Ghana’s electrical energy transition manifestations were obtained from reviews of Ghana’s renewable energy policy documents, namely the Ghana Renewable Energy Act (2011) and the Ghana Renewable Energy Master Plan (2019); reviews of Ghana energy sector reports, newspaper articles and information on the websites of Ghana’s energy sector institutions such as the Volta River Authority, Ghana Grid Company Limited, Electricity Company of Ghana and the Northern Electricity Distribution Company; and personal observations.Results The study found that fundamental changes have occurred in Ghana’s electrical energy sector: in the form of transition from exclusive hydro energy to hydro-thermal mix, with thermal constituting about 69% of the 2020 generation mix; and transition from exclusively State supply to State-private supply mix, with about 56% of present supply coming from private companies. These changes have been motivated by need to expand energy supply in response to increasing demand of 10-15% per annum. Renewable energy has attracted attention in policy, with targets such as 10% renewable energy in the energy mix by 2030 and provision of renewable energy to 1,000 off grid communities by 2030. However, renewable energy currently constitutes less than 1% of the electrical energy mix. There has been no change in heavy reliance on fossil energy for vehicular transportation.Conclusions Energy transition in its broad sense of fundamental changes in a country’s electrical energy system has occurred in Ghana but sustainability energy transition in the sense of transition to greener energy has not occurred in Ghana. It is recommended that further studies are conducted on why Ghana’s renewable energy agenda has so far only been agenda in policy with very minimal implementation in practice.