Redavia solar-lease solution keeps fish cool in Ghana

Ghana is arguably one of the most suitable countries in the world for solar generation but deployment has been hindered, as in so many African markets, by lack of access to capital. Fish trader Movelle Company, which operates across western Africa, therefore chose a pay-as-you-go solution to cut its power bill by using solar energy. The on-demand payment option does not require significant upfront investment and is proving a popular option in sub-Saharan Africa.

Movelle requires reliable energy 24/7 to keep its catch cool. Until now the company had sourced energy from the Ghanaian grid but saw it could undercut the utility price of power if the company installed a PV system.

The first phase of the project saw Munich-based solar system provider Redavia install a 90 kW array at Movelle’s cold storage facility. The trader is reportedly now planning to scale the system up and install another 84 kW at the site. The energy generated will supplement grid power.

Erwin Spolders, CEO and founder of Redavia, said: “Solar power reduces costs, generating savings that can be reinvested into the business while also reducing the carbon footprint of the business. It’s a win-win scenario.”

A report published last year by the United States Agency for International Development stated Ghana had a total installed power generation capacity of around 4.2 GW, of which 2.62 GW came from a thermal power plant, 1.58 GW from hydropower and just 42 MW from solar. The country boasts one of Africa’s higher energy access rates – 83% – with the figure reaching 91% in urban areas but only 50% in rural regions.

Ghana’s National Energy Policy aims to generate 10% of the nation’s electricity from renewables by next year.