The Kasapreko’s 400.4 KWp solar plant, Ghana’s first PPA-financed solar plant for a commercial customer located at Kasapreko’s Spintex Road bottling facility has been commissioned.

Speaking during the commissioning ceremony which was attended by Kasapreko Company Limited, CrossBoundary Energy Ghana Limited (CBE Ghana), and Yingli Namene West Africa Limited (Yingli Namene), Richard Adjei, CEO of Kasapreko Company said that the solar plant will supply 570,570 kWh annually to support the needs of the bottling facility and help to displace power supplied by diesel generators at the height of the day.

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Kasapreko solar plant

CrossBoundary Energy Ghana, the first licensed operator to finance solar PPAs for Ghanaian businesses, will operate the rooftop facility on behalf of Kasapreko as part of a 16-year solar services agreement. Under the agreement, Kasapreko will only pay for solar power produced, receiving a single monthly bill that incorporates all maintenance, monitoring, insurance and financing costs.

The CBE Ghana has retained Yingli Namene to continue provision of operations and maintenance services for the solar facility in its first year, with SolarAfrica responsible for asset management and performance monitoring.

Reduce its carbon emissions

Additionally, the solar plant will allow Kasapreko to reduce its carbon emissions by over 4,600 tonnes over the lifespan of the plant. The PV system has been designed to optimally integrate with Kasapreko’s existing power sources and can be expanded to supply Kasapreko with additional solar power as the company grows.

Across Sub-Saharan Africa, access to reliable, affordable electricity has been identified as one of the greatest obstacles to growth. Even though the cost of solar power continues to fall, enterprises on the continent lag their global peers in taking up solar due to the high upfront cost of purchase and the technical challenge of owning and maintaining a solar power facility.

In 2011, Ghana’s Renewable Energy Act was enacted to fast track the development of renewable energy sources and increase the contribution of renewable energy in the economy to 10%. By harnessing the power of global capital, Ghana’s renewable energy sector is evolving into a significant contributor to the economy, supporting local jobs and improving power costs for industrial enterprises.