WASCAL’s Waste-to-Energy (W2E) plant in the Atwima Nwabiagya South Municipality, in the Ashanti Region, Ghana, has achieved significant progress since its inception, incorporating cutting-edge technologies such as solar PV, biogas, and pyrolysis to generate energy from municipal waste.

This plant has become a critical hub for research, capacity-building, and waste management innovation in Ghana, driving forward the country’s efforts in sustainable energy development.

Speaking at the recent Sustainability Workshop of the Waste-to-Energy Plant, WASCAL’s Executive Director, Professor Emmanuel Wendsongre Ramde, highlighted the plant’s accomplishments and contributions to Ghana’s energy landscape: “Through this initiative, young entrepreneurs have been empowered, crucial technical training
delivered, and considerable progress made in plastic waste recycling. These milestones signify
the initiative’s importance in advancing sustainable energy solutions in Ghana,” he noted.

However, despite these successes, Prof. Ramde acknowledged the hurdles the project has faced, emphasising the need for pragmatic solutions to ensure its long-term sustainability.

“While efforts have been made to involve Ghanaian operators, one of the major challenges has been regulatory delays, including finalising the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), which have stalled the plant’s progress. This agreement is vital for selling the electricity generated, which is a key element of the project’s financial model,” he explained.

Additionally, despite these challenges, the W2E plant remains a cornerstone of Ghana’s sustainable development efforts. Stakeholders have shown unwavering commitment to overcoming these obstacles, as evidenced by the intensive discussions held during the workshop. The primary focus of the workshop was to develop a comprehensive exit strategy that ensures the plant’s sustainability while positioning it as a model for similar projects across West Africa.

Key areas addressed during the workshop included identifying practical solutions for the sustainability plan, supported by all partners and institutions. Discussions also centred on the process of selecting new private sector partners, ensuring the plant’s continued contribution to Ghana’s energy mix.

Mrs Kerstin Annassi, a representative from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the project’s funding partner, commended the progress made and stressed the importance of collaboration:

“We are confident this workshop will spur us all on to greater things together. It is crucial to continue working together to generate business opportunities and employment for the region. The Waste-to-Energy plant will benefit local communities, businesses, and the environment,” she said.

Dr. Francis Agyenim Boateng, Director of CSIR-Institute of Industrial Research, also emphasised the need for all partners to work collaboratively towards ensuring the project’s sustainability, highlighting the importance of securing long-term success.

This sustainability workshop represents a pivotal step in ensuring the continued viability of the W2E plant. The collective expertise and dedication of the partners involved foster optimism that the project will overcome its challenges, paving the way for a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable future for Ghana and West Africa.

The W2E plant was inaugurated in 2022 and currently houses a modern waste sorting system, a biogas plant, a photovoltaic solar power facility, and a unit for producing granules from recycled plastic waste. These granules are raw materials used in the production of new plastic materials, contributing to a reduction in plastic waste in Ghana.

The project is part of an approximately 6-million-euro agreement signed in 2020 between the Government of Ghana, the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, and the West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use, WASCAL.
The plant is designed to address energy and sanitation challenges while promoting research and development in waste-to-energy technologies.

The W2E initiative exemplifies the collaborative spirit between German institutions, led by the University of Rostock, WASCAL, and local Ghanaian research and training bodies, alongside strong community engagement.

With the workshop concluding on a note of optimism, stakeholders are now equipped with a clear sustainability roadmap, ensuring that the W2E plant continues to play a crucial role in Ghana’s energy sector serves as a model for future projects across the region.