article · Energy Conversion and Management X
Ghana currently lacks utility-scale wind power plants in its electricity generation mix. An assessment focused on Adafoah used multicriteria decision-making methods to select suitable wind turbines, finding units between 1 MW and 1.5 MW appropriate for the location. A simulated 10 MW plant modelled in RETScreen generates approximately 93 GWh of electricity per year with a 22% capacity factor. Without financial incentives, the project shows a levelised cost of energy of around 0.143 US dollars per kilowatt-hour, while a feed-in tariff below 0.15 US dollars per kilowatt-hour makes development commercially unlucrative. Implementing the installation reduces carbon dioxide emissions by roughly 33% relative to the national grid. Sensitivity analyses show resilience against shifts in capital subsidies, inflation, discount rates, feed-in tariffs, and local wind speeds.
Utility-scale wind energy offers a route to diversify national electricity grids, enhance power capacity, and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Establishing the financial thresholds and technical viability for specific coastal locations gives policymakers and grid planners clear evidence on the tariffs and conditions required to attract clean energy infrastructure investments.
This techno-economic feasibility study provides planning data for energy investors, project developers, and regulators targeting utility-scale wind deployment in Ghana. As an applied modelling study, it sits at the project appraisal and planning stage rather than physical deployment, showing the precise tariff benchmarks required before private or public capital can construct and operate a viable 10 MW plant.
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Ghana's electricity generation mix does not include utility-scale wind power plants to contribute to its power supply. Thus, the country is yet to harness the potential benefits that wind energy could offer, such as diversification of the energy mix, promoting a low-carbon economy, and increasing power generation capacity. This study evaluated wind turbines suitable for developing wind power plants in Adafoah using multicriteria decision-making methods. After that, RETScreen software was employed to perform and evaluate the techno-economic viability of deploying a 10 MW utility-scale wind power plant for electricity generation. The results showed that wind turbines ranging from 1 MW to 1.5 MW are suitable for the study site. Also, developing a 10 MW wind power plant would generate about 93 GWh of electricity annually with a capacity factor of 22%. The findings also reveal that a feed-in tariff (FiT) lower than US$0.15/kWh is not lucrative for wind power development in Adafoah. Furthermore, without financial incentives, the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) from the wind power plant is about US$0.143/kWh. In addition, deploying the wind power plant saves about 33% of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions compared to the utility grid. The sensitivity analysis also demonstrates that the project's financial indicators are resilient to capital subsidies, inflation, discount rate, FiT, and wind speed variations. The study's findings suggest that wind energy development in Adafoah and similar locations can improve energy access, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and promote sustainable development. This study's findings are useful to decision-makers, stakeholders, and investors in developing the wind power sector in Ghana.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.ecmx.2023.100375
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