The Hybrid Waste to Energy as a Sustainable Solution for Ghana project is a collaborative work between the German Government through the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Internationalization Strategy for Research Policy and the Government of Ghana.

Ghanaian working partners on the project include Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi Technical University (KsTU) and University of Environment and Natural Resources (UENR). Apart from these Institutions some stakeholders in the Energy sector such as Twerebo Process Industries Limited, Environment, and Sustainable Development (CEESD), the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, HPW Fresh and Dry Fruits, and FCVL are also engaged on the project to tap their expertise and their local knowledge in the Industry.

The West African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL), University of Rostock, German Biomass Research Centre GmbH, SRH Berlin, Gicon GmbH are but a few of the key International partners on the 4-year project.

Key objectives of the project include but not limited to the following:

• Develop and implement waste management and adapted waste to energy and material systems. This includes adequate collection and management schemes, regarding the specific mass-flows and the related options for GHG-emissions reduction and added value and environment enhancement specified to different mass flows
• Combined electric system, based on solar PV, biogas and pyrolysis plant to convert household waste into electricity
• Analyse the framework conditions and its effect to provide consulting for its adaption and to develop business and organization models for the deployment of the above-named management schemes, technologies and product merchandising in other communities in Ghana
• Build capacity of Ghanaian academics, professional engineers, postgraduates on design, construction, maintenance and optimization of named technology, organization, and business models

The project is expected to make a significant contribution to the socio-economic development of the beneficiary community directly. The running of the plant is expected to generate a minimum of about 10 directly employed personnel. The number of persons employed is expected to increase to about 50 when the full value chain both anaerobic digestion and thermal processes are developed and propagated in to various regions. These include marketing and sales of bio fertilizer char. Proceeds from sales of power and value-added products will be used to finance operations and maintenance of the facility. On the national scale, the project will initiate to increase Ghana’s installed generation capacity, to contribute to the greenhouse gas emission reduction and also to contribute to the achievement of Ghana’s renewable energy master plan target. The project is also expected to be replicated in an upscaled form at least in 10 communities in the medium to long term (5 – 10 years).

https://wascal.org/bmbf-funded-project-on-400-kw-hybrid-waste-to-energy-power-plant-kicks-off-in-ghana/