Ghana is in the process of becoming a
member of International Solar Alliance. Parliament of Ghana on October 3, 2017
ratified the Framework Agreement on the Establishment of International Solar
Alliance. According to the Ghana’s Minister for Energy, Mr. Boakye Agyarko
after the ratification it may take a month or two for Ghana to officially take
its place in the International Solar Alliance.
Joining the International Solar
Alliance gives Ghana the opportunity to source funds to embark on a bold large
scale solar energy project. This should improve on Ghana’s efforts in
harnessing green energy to further reduce the country’s carbon footprint, among
others.
The Minister says the government have
in mind the introduction of solar energy in the Flagstar House (seat of
government) and Parliament House as a first step. Thereafter, junior high
schools and senior high schools should be connected to solar energy.
As indicated Ghana is going to get the
money from the International Solar Alliance to make real what it is dreaming
about. The International Solar Alliance then becomes a facility and launch pad
for Ghana to apply and enjoy sustainable energy; an energy source that cannot
be exhausted. What then is the International Solar Alliance? A rundown follows:
The International Solar Alliance (ISA)
is a group of more than 121 countries which are located partly or completely
within the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. The group’s chief goal
is to tap from the sun solar energy to minimize the use of fossil fuel. The
brain child of the International Solar Alliance is India Prime Minister Narendra
Modi.
The Framework Agreement of
International Solar Alliance opened for signatures in November, 2016, and 121
countries are now members. The alliance is an agreement-based intergovernmental
group. Countries not located between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of
Capricorn may become members of the group.
For me greenification is the process
of extracting and processing materials from the natural environment to satisfy
our (earthlings) needs without knocking the natural environment off balance.
The way, we as humans, have done it so
far has to a large extent compromised the natural environment. Take oil for
example, from its extraction to its consumption; every step of the way it
affects the natural environment negatively. Oil spillage has destroyed aquatic
life and means of livelihood of some people. Petrol or gasoline you and I use
for automobiles end up emitting greenhouse gas into the atmosphere.
The solution to the problem is
greenification. A measure of greenification is being achieved on planet Earth
though. Tapping energy from the sun to reduce fossil fuel use, as is the chief
goal of the International Solar Alliance, is one way of furthering the
advancement of greenification on planet Earth.
Some reasons why Ghana, for that
matter any other country, should go for solar energy as one of many green
resources are:
- The sun as energy resource cannot be exhausted thereby making it sustainable.
- Solar energy production releases relatively low greenhouse gas.
- Solar power is cheaper to produce compared to conventional electricity.
- In Ghana, as in the other countries lying between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn, there is abundant sunshine.
Ghana in joining the International
Solar Alliance to source funds to develop solar power in the country for the
benefit of the citizenry is a laudable idea and a step in the right direction.
The reasons are obvious. The outstanding reason, as far as this post goes is
that the use of solar energy will help in the further push for a sustainable clean
and balanced natural environment.
Comments
Post a Comment