The Ministry of Energy will soon provide modalities for the implementation of the net metering code used for solar energy.
Under the net metering code mechanism, renewable energy generation facility owners are credited for electricity supplied to the grid.
The credit is subsequently set off against electricity purchased from the distribution utility.
Addressing the issue, the Director for Renewable Energy with the Ministry of Energy, Wisdom Togobo said challenges surrounding the net metering system will soon be addressed.
“There was a net metering code that was embedded in the renewable energy act and as part of the code in it, it was such that if you generate electricity from the renewable and you have excess you can feed it into the grid and take it back when you need.”
“ECG is already struggling with their finances; I don’t see how they can take your power during the day when demand for electricity is very low. The energy commission that the technical regulator and the PURC, the financial regulator together with ECG have into some agreement and we will announce the new tariff system, ” he said.
The commission has said it is currently finalising a net metering code; a regulatory framework to give guidelines and financial incentives for small-scale power producers from renewable sources.
The code is the rules and regulations that will establish the technical standards and specifications for making small producers grid-compatible
The Energy Commission has developed the Renewable Energy Sub-Code for Transmission and Distribution Networks.
These two Renewable Energy Sub-Codes propose minimum technical connection and performance requirements that a Variable Renewable Power Plant (VRPP) needs to comply with in order to connect its generating facility to the National Interconnected Transmission System (NITS) or a Distribution Network in Ghana, and defines rules and standards to guide the network operators when connecting a VRPP to its Network.
The Net Metering Sub-Code for connecting Renewable Energy Generating Systems to the Distribution System provides for guidelines and technical connection conditions for the interconnection of renewable energy generating facility to the low voltage distribution system under the net metering scheme
