August 10, 2016 – As part of the Ghana Energy Commission's Renewable Energy Fair 2016, the Ghana Climate Innovation Centre (GCIC) chaired a session on innovation within the renewable energy industry in Ghana.
The fair, under the theme, Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency: Accelerating Energy Access and Security, was born out of a need to bridge the information gap that exists between the energy industry and the desired market environment in Ghana. The fair also seeks to encourage Ghanaians to buy into the idea of renewable sources of energy.
Speaking at the session, Dr. McBagonluri, Executive Director of the GCIC spoke on the importance of building institutions that focus on innovation. “We can’t talk about innovation within the industrial space while our educational institutions remain disengaged from these conversations,” he said. “The word innovation has to become part of our lingo, and also we need to be intentional about looking at solutions for our local institutions.”
Other speakers included representatives from the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology Innovation, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and students and faculty from Ashesi University College. Engineering students from Ashesi also had their solar generator prototypes on display at the fair’s exhibition.