Differential Impacts of Wind Energy on Sustainable Power Generation in Ghana

Ghana has a yearly development interest for power at a rate of 83.8% in 2010, and to 12% from 2020 to 2040 but this opportunity has been farfetched with the shocks in energy generation during 1983, 1994, 1997-98, and 2006-2007 era pushing the energy sector into crisis and a consequent adverse impact of 1.5% to GDP. This study, therefore, investigated the differential impacts of wind energy to sustainable power generation in Ghana by assessing the determinants of energy supply, energy demand and supply mix for energy development, the capacity of the energy sector to develop wind power and possible challenges in developing wind power energy in Ghana. An exploratory design that adopted both qualitative and quantities approaches was applied to the study. The study population involving 34 sample sizes was accessed from a 46 population made up of management/ministers of energy and counsellors or energy experts. The study concluded that the demand for energy in Ghana has increased over the years but without a commensurate increase in energy supply. Major reasons for the shortfall in energy supply have centred on the monopoly enjoyed by the major power producer which invariably places stress on its ability to supply energy to meet the increasing demand. It also came out that wind energy has the potential to contribute to the overall energy fortunes of Ghana. However, a focus on wind energy may not produce the required results of reducing the energy supply gap due to a preference for solar and natural gas oils. It was also noteworthy that the need to build capacity to develop and maintain wind energy through critical, current infrastructure stance of the Ghanaian energy sector would not make this agenda of developing wind energy a reality. More so, it is important to note that the need to enhance the current weak national policy, financial backing and bridge technology gap for wind energy would be needful to realise a vibrant investment into wind energy development.