Addressing Energy Availability, Accessibility and Affordability Amidst Energy Transition in Africa: Ghana's Outlook

Abstract

Abstract In 2015, the UN adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals. These goals seek to tackle some of the world's greatest challenges by 2030. Goal 7 aims to "ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all". This is an ambition that implies changes in the way energy is produced, accessed, and used. The research evaluated all five scenarios as presented by the energy transition committee: i. Business-as-Usual Scenario (BaU); ii. Transition Scenario 1 (T1); iii. Transition Scenario 2 (T2); iv. Transition Scenario 3 (T3); and Transition Scenario 4 (T4). Reliability and adequate supply of the sources of the base loads were analyzed; advantages and disadvantages of the scenarios were drawn; emission consequences from the scenarios were also simulated; cost of transition and cost of generation based on the estimated CAPEX and OPEX were modeled. The energy transition scenarios considered the use of Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) technology; use of compressed natural gas as base load, electric, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles; sustainable aviation fuel; efficient energy transformation processes; and efficient end-use appliances. Another scenario considered everything under the case above and includes the use of nuclear for power generation. This research tested the availability, accessibility and affordability of the five main energy transition scenarios Ghana is considering for its transition plan and applied fuzzy logic in selecting the best options.