BPA exhibits Africa’s first hydro-floating solar hybrid plant in Ghana

Ghana’s state owned power company Bui Power Authority (BPA) last week showcased the recently completed state-of-the-art Bui Hydro-Solar PV Hybrid (HSH) power plant, in the Bono Region in Ghana, to a team of journalists and industry officials, with the RenewAfrica.Biz team in attendance. 

Ghana’s Minister for Energy Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh told RenewAfrica.Biz that the groundbreaking project, developed by the Bui Power Authority (BPA) marks a major milestone in Africa’s clean energy transition.

“Bringing the Bui Hydro-Solar PV Hybrid system online means we are ahead of schedule in achieving both our UN Sustainable Development Goal of universal access to electricity by 2025 and delivering on the promise in our National Energy plan to increase the renewable energy component in our energy mix to 10% of Ghana’s total energy supply by 2030,” he said.

Ghana has made remarkable progress in providing access to electricity. Currently, 43% of the total population in sub-Saharan Africa lacks electricity, but Ghana is on course to achieve universal access within 18 months.

The HSH facility operated by BPA consists of a 5 MW floating solar plant, a 50 MWp ground mounted solar PV system, a 10 MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), and a 404 MW hydro power plant. The solar system uses Huawei inverters, and the energy storage system was also supplied by Huawei.

According to BPA, the combination of hydro and solar power, alongside battery energy storage systems, enables the HSH plant to provide a stable supply of power to the grid day and night. This the company says is important for the energy security of Ghana. 

Construction of the solar plants began in October 2019. BPA revealed that it plans to expand the floating solar plant to 50MW, and the ground mounted PV power system to 250 MW. The company says the expansion plans are part of its founding mandate to develop renewable and other clean energy alternatives in Ghana. BPA was established by an act of Parliament in 2007.

The expansion will ensure total renewable energy output from the HSH facility contributes around 6-7% of the total power generated in-country, and is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 47,000 tons per year. 

In addition to power generation, BPA is investing in community projects, including irrigation of over 30,000 hectares of land for crops grown by locals. The company is also providing fishing opportunities for local communities in the Bui dam. The initiatives are expected to boost the local farming industry, increase employment and bring financial, environmental and social benefits to the region, thus improving the lives of local people.