Ghana’s Renewable Energy Transition

Ghana possesses a wealth of untapped renewable energy resources, positioning the country as a prime candidate for a sustainable energy transition. The country has a robust policy and regulatory basis to drive the energy transition forward and effectively, yet Ghana still faces barriers that are slowing the journey to a renewable energy future down.  In addition to desktop research and information discussions, this report draws on expert roundtable discussions held at the Africa Climate Summit in Addis Ababa in September 2025, at the Legislator’s Forum during the IRENA General Assembly in January 2026,  as well as the Ghana Climate Resilience Dialogue: Accelerating Ghana’s Renewable Energy Transition – Removing Barriers to Climate Resilience held at Parliament House in Accra in March 2026.

Read summary
Download paper

Brief Insights

GHANA ELECTRICITY ACCESS
0 %

Ghana’s High Potential for RE

Ghana has achievable renewable energy targets, notably increasing the share of renewable energy to 10% by 2030, as part of its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. In addition to ambition, Ghana has high renewable energy potential – both in solar with high irradiation levels across the country as well as coastal regions boasting substantial wind potential. This is complemented by existing and planned hydro power as well as biomass energy potential.

Barriers to Progress

While Ghana’s potential to achieve a greater share of renewable energy in its energy mix is high, there are barriers to progress that if addressed, would help move Ghana forward more quickly. For example:

  • Access to and structures to create affordable and sustainable climate financing – both internal and international
  • Regulatory complexity in terms of enforcement, implementation and compliance
  • Grid expansion and modernisation

Potential Solutions for Consideration

Ghana is well positioned to pursue its energy transformation, with strong governmental support and ambition – at executive and legislative levels. The barriers which surfaced through discussions and research are most certainly not insurmountable. Some suggestions include:

  • Focus on grid modernisation and battery storage solutions
  • Simplify and streamline the licensing process
  • Introduce robust, transparent financial incentives and de-risking instruments

Learn more in our paper

The full Policy Action Plan develops these recommendations in detail, drawing on Ghana’s existing legislative and regulatory frameworks and on direct engagement with Members of Parliament, regulators, ministry officials, and civil society. It is intended as a practical reference for legislators working to accelerate Ghana’s just energy transition.

Download Paper

Related Activities

The Global Renewables Congress is made possible through the generous financial support of the Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU — German Federal Environmental Foundation) and the Climate Emergency Collaboration Group (CECG).