Can a minigrid be a test ground for electrification in Ghana?

The government of Ghana has established pilot renewable minigrids in five off-grid communities as a testing ground for the electrification of over 600 existing rural communities that cannot be electrified via the national grid.

Who owns a minigrid in Ghana?

Ownership of the project’s assets is vested in the government of Ghana. In all, a total 228 kW of photovoltaic capacity has been installed at the five minigrid sites supplying a total of 598 households. Households use this electricity typically for lighting, cell phone charging, powering their television and radio, fans, and fridges.

Do minigrid communities benefit from renewable electricity access?

Although the surveyed communities generally shared similar socioeconomic characteristics with the rural poor in Ghana (and hence results are generalizable), these minigrid communities have had the benefit of already enjoying renewable electricity access relative to the other rural population with little or no electricity access.

Are solar minigrids a good investment?

Though investment levels in the solar minigrid market remain low , recent years have witnessed a significant increase in interest from different stakeholders (i.e., inter-national organizations, governments, and the private sector) in developing minigrids as cost-effective and reliable means to reach unelectrified populations .

Are minigrids better suited to under-served areas?

Despite the economic feasibility of extending the electricity grid to under-served areas in some situations, minigrids may be better suited to address the low electrification rates and electrification challenges in areas with scattered households, low populations, and low demand potential [1,3,4].

What is the Ghana energy development & Access Project (gedap)?

The Ghana Energy Development and Access Project (GEDAP) was launched in 2007 as part of efforts to provide the off-grid, isolated communities with alternative electrification options [12,13].