Recently, Ghana's energy sector has reached a milestone - local company SFI has officially launched the first phase of the ambitious Norbert Anku solar project. This project, with a final capacity of up to 1 gigawatt, is not only hailed as the largest solar energy project under construction in sub Saharan Africa (excluding South Africa), but also has high expectations from Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, who called it the "beginning of Ghana's clean industrial revolution". The President personally attended the groundbreaking ceremony, highlighting the importance of the project to the national energy strategy.

It is reported that the project implementation company SFI is a subsidiary of LMI Holdings Group in Ghana, and the project is named in honor of Norbert Anku, the first Managing Director of the group. The factory is located in the Dawa Industrial Zone of the Greater Accra region, which is characterized by industrial agglomeration and high energy demand, with the aim of meeting the green electricity needs of local enterprises nearby. The project adopts a robust phased construction model: the first phase of 100 MW is scheduled to be put into operation in December 2026, followed by the second phase of 100 MW, which is scheduled to start construction in September 2027.

This project has attracted strong international and local support forces. Renowned institutions such as the International Finance Corporation under the World Bank, Enclave Power Company in Ghana, and China Water Resources and Electric Power Corporation have all provided funding or technical support. Although South Africa currently maintains a leading position in the field of photovoltaics in Africa, such as Hive Hydrogen South Africa's 1.4 gigawatt green hydrogen production solar project, the scale and ambition of this project in Ghana undoubtedly make it an important participant in regional new energy development.

Although the specific details of the power purchase agreement have not been made public, Kojo Aduhne, CEO of Quarm Investments, the project supporter, revealed that companies in the Dawa Industrial Zone are expected to purchase electricity at a 10% discount in the future, which will directly and significantly reduce the energy costs of local industries.

According to the latest data from the Ghana Energy Commission, as much as 69.9% of the country's electricity generation will still rely on thermal power plants in 2024, with renewable energy accounting for only 2.4%, and only 132 megawatts of installed photovoltaic capacity in operation. In this context, President Mahama's remarks were particularly striking, emphasizing that "the essence of national sovereignty is that we must rely on local resources such as sunshine, wind, and water to enhance our energy self-sufficiency." This concept coincides with Europe's strategic direction of increasing investment in local renewable energy to enhance energy security. Keywords: Photovoltaic New Energy, Photovoltaic New Energy News, Photovoltaic New Energy Information

Looking ahead to the future, the advancement of the Norbert Anku solar project is not only a solid step for Ghana to diversify its energy structure, but also a powerful witness to its pursuit of sustainable development and energy sovereignty. It has illuminated the hope of green transformation in Ghana and even the West African region, heralding the acceleration of a new era that relies more on clean and local energy to drive industrial and economic growth. Editor/Xu Shengpeng