Researchers at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) have proposed bold technological solutions to help improve Ghana’s struggling energy sector.
Research conducted by the University’s Faculty of Physics and Computational Sciences at the College of Sciences revealed that Ghana can adopt nanotechnology for sustainable and affordable energy solutions.
Ghana’s energy sector continues to grapple with mounting debt and persistent supply challenges, often resulting in unstable power for both domestic and commercial consumers.
As the government and stakeholders search for long-term remedies, there has been a growing call for the use of renewable energy.
Despite the country’s abundant sunshine, concerns remain over the limited harnessing of solar energy in developing nations.
In response, a study by researchers at KNUST highlighted how the use of nanomaterials, particularly sulfide thin films, can serve as a cost-effective and scalable alternative to traditional solar technologies.
Speaking at an inaugural lecture at KNUST, Professor Nathaniel Owusu Boadi, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Physics and Computational Sciences, explained how nanotechnology enhances energy efficiency.
“Advanced nanomaterials that enhance energy storage systems and improve the performance of display technologies, sensors, and auto electronic devices can be produced, and crystal structures of four new lead-based complexes that enable further innovation and technological advancement worldwide have been deposited,” he noted.
As part of recommendations to policymakers, Professor Boadi emphasised the importance of public education and strong financial backing to fully tap into the benefits of nanotechnology and green energy.
“The government of Ghana, through the Minister of Finance and the newly created Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, along with private sector leaders, must commit immediate and substantial funding to support research and development in nanomaterial application for energy, ensuring the country remains at the forefront of technological innovation,” he said.
In a separate lecture organised by the College of Engineering at KNUST, the President of the State University of New York Polytechnic Institute lamented Africa’s underutilised energy reserves, despite the continent’s resource richness.
“If you look at the resources, Africa has one-third of the elements, so there is no reason why Africa should be poor. If only we stabilise how to create value not just from the raw material, but what we can do when we combine those, guided by machine learning…”
