| dc.description.abstract | Globally, the demand for energy is on the rise. Several studies indicate that this is mainly due to the drive for development and industrialisation, and population growth. Currently, the population of the world is around 7 billion and it is forecast to increase to over 9 billion by 2040. A key factor for this increasing population growth is the high rate of fertility and this is more evident in the global south. A larger population means more electrical energy consumed and that translates into more electrical energy demand. The era of industrialisation coupled with advancements in technology has also been a key factor in the increasing demand for electrical energy in the world. An industrialised system means a large workforce and high production of goods and services. High production of goods and services also translates into more electrical energy consumed and hence increasing the demand for more electrical energy. The continuous demand and high consumption lead to a change in climate since a huge amount of the electrical energy produced in the world come from fossil fuels. As part of efforts to reduce the climate impact, countries are now responding to the clarion call to transition from producing electrical energy sourced from fossil fuels to electrical energy generated from renewable sources. Whereas some countries have been successful, others including Ghana appear to be facing some challenges.
Using Ghana as a case study, this study explores the drivers and barriers that obstruct the transition to solar electrical energy in Ghana. The theoretical framework for the study is built on a framework called Multi-Level Perspective theory which discusses how socio-technical transitions like the energy transition can be achieved through some three levels: landscape, regime, and niche. The study examines the situation of the transition process in Ghana under those three levels proposed by the framework using information from key government documents and data from 24 interviews with some key stakeholders from government, finance and market, academia, consumers, and societal actors.
Findings from the study indicate that concerns about climate change and energy security, the cost-effectiveness of solar energy, the existence of a policy and legal framework and a network of niche actors are what is driving the energy transition in Ghana. The findings also revealed that high upfront costs for solar technologies, inadequate skilled personnel, low public awareness, absence of robust coordination, and insufficient research and technology development (R&D) are the factors that hinder the transition to solar electrical energy in Ghana. To facilitate the transition, it was observed that there is a need to foster adequate public awareness, provide an adequate financing mechanism to support the renewable sector and solar energy-related research, and design a robust regulatory framework to support and coordinate the solar energy market. | |