Ghana Cooling for All workshop builds momentum for national action on sustainable cooling and energy efficiency

Last week in Accra, Ghana, SEforALL hosted the Ghana Cooling for All Workshop, which aimed to identify gaps in Ghana's sustainable cooling policy implementation framework and pathways to achieving sustainable cooling for all.  

Ghana is a high-impact country in Sustainable Energy for All's Chilling Prospects research series because it has approximately 8.7 million people in poor rural and urban settings that lack access to sustainable cooling solutions. Ghana also remains vulnerable to heat stressors caused by climate change, with high temperatures ranging from an average of 31 to 40 degrees Celsius, and at the same time has faced challenges adapting to the threat of extreme heat due to several barriers, including a lack of access to sustainable cooling solutions. 

The workshop was held over three days and had over 90 participants, including youth, students, development partners, national associations, financial providers, and importers. 

The Cooling for All Workshop in Ghana had three key outcomes:  

• Increasing awareness of sustainable cooling among key stakeholders in Ghana 

• Recognizing the need for implementation finance to unlock additional private sector finance for passive and active cooling 

• Identifying partnership opportunities to increase the capacity of stakeholders on cooling, especially passive cooling 

These outcomes provide an opportunity for SEforALL and partners like C40 Cities to support the Government of Ghana with capacity building needs and data-driven policy, especially for passive cooling in buildings and cities, as it implements its National Cooling Action Plan and works to deliver sustainable cooling for all.   

SEforALL is also continuing to support the Government of Ghana's cooling and energy efficiency ambitions by convening the Mission Efficiency Community of Practice, which fosters coordination and cooperation among cooling and energy efficiency stakeholders, including connecting project developers with finance. 

Day 1 Recap 

On the first day, the Ghana Energy Commission’s Director for Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency and Climate Change, Mr. Kofi Agyarko, welcomed participants and set the tone for the workshop by highlighting that cooling was no longer a luxury, and that collaboration and local solutions were necessary to deliver Cooling for All in Ghana. He stressed that such gatherings present an opportunity to chart a more concrete path towards implementing cooling solutions, particularly those that prevent food losses and save vaccines.  

Peace Kaliisa of the Rwandan Ministry of Infrastructure followed, noting the success of the landmark Centre for Sustainable Cooling and Cold Chain at the University of Rwanda and that additional financing was needed for capacity building. Remarks by Dr. Fenwicks Musonye of the Kenya Energy & Petroleum Regulatory Authority concluded the opening, emphasizing the need to increase awareness of energy efficiency benefits. 

The remainder of the day included deep-dive presentations on cooling access gaps in Ghana and the status of the National Cooling Action Plan. SEforALL led another session that delved into passive cooling, especially in building design, led by Energy Efficiency Specialist Elizabeth Wangeci Chege.  

The final session of the day emphasized the need to promote energy-efficient cooling devices in off-grid and on-grid, a discussion which also provided industry associations with the ability to dialogue with regulators on the current Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) regime and the need to shift to High Energy Performance Standards (HEPS). 

Day 2 Recap 

On the second day, SEforALL hosted a consultation on the Global Cooling Pledge for COP 28, with stakeholders from Ghana, Kenya, and Rwanda emphasizing the need for further capacity building and implementation finance. In a subsequent session on innovation, representatives from Rwanda and Kenya shared their feedback on increasing innovation in cooling, including the use of passive designs to create shade and decrease heat in their regions. They also shared how policies and MEPS have lagged behind due to a lack of focus on active cooling, providing an opportunity for Ghana to understand their experiences.  

The National Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Workshop Owners Association and Accra Centre of Excellence advocated for enhanced access to the latest innovation in air conditioners in the Ghanaian market, and SEforALL used this platform to explore opportunities for manufacturing in Africa to reduce the cost of air conditioners and other sustainable cooling technologies. 

The workshop also showcased business models and financial opportunities for sustainable cooling in Ghana. This included Akofresh, a startup company that provides off-grid cooling solutions powered by solar systems, solving the problem of food waste by using cold rooms for storage in Akomadan. The company is targeting other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to replicate the success seen in Ghana.  

Finance was raised as a key issue across all sessions, and the workshop included a session with the Private Financing Advisory Network Country (PFAN) Coordinator and the Ghana Sustainable Use of Natural Resources and Energy Finance (SUNREF) Coordinator who discussed challenges and available support for cooling projects. The SUNREF Coordinator noted that USD 35 million is available for renewable and energy efficiency projects, but that no project has been presented on cooling yet, with high interest rates and foreign exchange fluctuations as key barriers. PFAN Country Coordinator commented on the lack of thorough business and market analysis, necessary tools for investors to understand growth potential. 

Day 3 Recap 

The workshop concluded on its 3rd day by providing training to stakeholders on sustainable cooling in buildings and cities. SEforALL was joined by the Ghana Green Building Council and C40 Cities to deliver the training. Stakeholders were drawn to green roofing, which is barely seen in building construction in Ghana, and the benefits of integrating passive cooling with active cooling to lower overall energy needs.  

The day also included the launch of the Sustainable Energy Policy Hub, a virtual tool supporting policy decision-making processes in the areas of electricity access, clean cooking, energy efficiency and sustainable cooling, with participants using the tool to develop an analysis of Ghana’s policy and regulatory framework using the Hub’s decision trees on sustainable cooling and energy efficiency.