Commission Steps Up Campaign On Energy Conservation

Ghanaians have been urged to do more to save energy to ensure that the nation has adequate power supply for domestic and industrial purposes. Mr Kofi Agyarko, Head of Energy Efficiency and Climate Change Division of the Energy Commission, said it was more cost-effective to conserve energy than to invest in the installation of generating plants. He spoke of how the country ,between year 2007 � 2008, through sustained campaign on power conservation was able to save 134 megawatts of energy, which in monetary terms came to about GH�105 million and said this needed to be revisited. He was addressing a day�s workshop held in Kumasi, as part of the stepped up effort to get the people to ensure efficient energy use. Mr Agyarko said to reduce government�s spending on electricity; the Energy Minister, acting in concert with the Commission, decided to experiment with the installation of Automatic Capacitor Banks (ACB) at six selected public facilities and described the outcome as simply fantastic. Measurements taken after the installation revealed that maximum demand for power in all the facilities had significantly dropped from �11,743 kilovolt ampere to 9, 889 kilovolt ampere� within the space of three years. In monetary terms, total savings from this stood at GH�39, 149.00 per month. The workshop targeted civil society organizations, small and medium-scale enterprises, students and the media. Mr Agyarko underlined the determination of the Commission to promote energy conservation practices. Mr Joseph Yameen, Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, said the government was working hard to find lasting solution to the energy crisis.