Biogas technology has been recognised as having a high potential in helping Ghana achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) particularly in the areas of waste management, sanitation and renewable energy.
Speaking at the launch of the Biogas Association of Ghana, Nana Akua Owusu-Afriyie, Member of Parliament for Ablekuma -North constituency and board member for the Energy Commission said:
“The biogas technology has tremendous advantages that is key to the sustainable development of Ghana’s economy particularly in accelerating the country’s quest to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”.
She explained that a successful biogas and bio technology industry will facilitate Ghana’s achievement of the SDGs with regards to Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), Goal 13 (Climate Action), Goal 14 (Life Below Water), and Goal 15 (Life on Land).
Nana Akua Owusu-Afriyie outlined the particular areas where biogas technology could yield positive results for Ghana’s development. “The biogas technology can serve as a solution to changes with waste disposal and sanitation”, she said.
“In Ghana this same technology can be used to treat the city’s liquid waste to produce electricity, heat and organic fertiliser for agricultural purposes. This is could also help to purify our polluted lagoons and turn them into tourist and recreational sites”, she continued.
She added that the biogas technology had potential in the renewable energy sector, making reference to Ghana’s first 100KW biogas power plant in Ashaiman, which feeds into the national grid.
In spite of these advantages, the MP however bemoaned the lack of proper regulation and standards for the industry.
“There are currently no standards for biogas systems and this has resulted in the construction of sub-standard biogas plants which do not function satisfactorily,” she lamented.
Nana Akua Owusu-Afriyie therefore tasked the Energy Commission, within the space of two years, to implement a certification program for biogas installers. She further asked the Commission to develop an all-inclusive road map towards the regulation of commercial activities in the biogas industry. This, she believed, would go a long way to improve the quality of installations in the country.
The launch of the Biogas Association of Ghana (BAG) was to educate practitioners and urge them to get licensed with the association which had been in existence since July, 2016. The BAG aims at promoting sustainable development of the biogas and biomass sectors in Ghana via four key thematic areas:
To liaise with relevant authorities to standardise and license practitioners in the sector; undertake research activities; ensure development of standards in the sector through training; and promote the biogas sector in Ghana through the formulation of policies that border on improving sanitation, accessibility to energy, agriculture and climate change mitigation.
The newly launched association is managed by a nine-member Executive Board, led by Dr. Elias Delali Aklaku as President.
Kennedy Aryeetey Tetteh | thebftonline.com | Ghana
