The Energy Commission of Ghana has made a two-year agreement with power market simulation software developer Energy Exemplar that will see the use of modeling software to support renewable energy aspirations in the country. The World Bank funded the Commission’s agreement with Energy Exemplar.
Energy Exemplar will use their software PLEXOS to provide insights into energy market fundamentals and help in understanding the whole energy landscape across Ghana. The software, which is already in use in Morocco and Senegal, is fast becoming a “common language” for African countries wishing to harness the continent’s wealth of resources.
Ghana is looking to increase the proportion of renewable energy in the energy mix from 42.5 MW to 1,363 MW. PLEXOS will enable the country to work with its neighbors to adopt wider use of renewable energy in support of the energy aspirants.
Oscar Amonoo-Neizer, Executive Secretary at Energy Commission Ghana, said, Ghana and other countries in the West African Power Pool have enormous renewable energy potential. Working with Exemplar will provide the opportunity to understand, harness, and optimize this potential which was previously unattainable.
According to Neizer, the Energy Commission’s innovative approach provides an example for Africa of how to adapt and respond to climate, market, and geopolitical challenges. The agreement with Energy Exemplar is a significant step forward to realizing the country’s renewable energy goals.
Michael Schneider, Senior Vice President and Head of EMEA at Energy Exemplar, said their software PLEXOS is contributing to the energy transformation towards net zero in Africa, especially in providing a shared “sector language” for the countries looking to optimize their energy systems for collaboration and exchange.
The Energy Commission will also use PLEXOS to get a better understanding of gas price fluctuations, as 20% of the gas is imported from Nigeria via the West African Gas Pipeline. The software platform will develop better interconnectivity between African nations in meeting the energy requirements and transitioning to clean energy.
