Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Secretariat has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ATRI Energy Transition Private Limited, an India-based renewable energy firm, in a partnership projected to generate more than 160,000 direct and indirect jobs while adding up to 2,000 megawatts of clean power to the national grid.
The agreement, signed in Accra, forms part of efforts to deepen private sector participation in the government’s proposed 24-hour economy programme.
Presidential Advisor on the initiative, Mr Augustus Goosie Tanoh, said the projected jobs would emerge from several large-scale projects, including the development of about 40,000 hectares of grass plantations, the establishment of solar parks, the creation of agro-ecological zones, and other value chain activities linked to energy and transport infrastructure.
The agreement is expected to deliver up to 2,000 megawatts of renewable energy into Ghana’s national grid over the next five years, with projects focusing on solar generation, battery energy storage systems, and biomass-to-power ventures.
On energy pricing, Mr Tanoh outlined strict cost parameters for businesses operating within the programme’s framework. He said the tariff regime caps electricity costs at seven United States cents per kilowatt hour where battery storage is included, and between four and five cents without storage, significantly below the current national average of around 15 cents.
Mr Sammidi Kishore, Founder of ATRI Energy Transition Private Limited, said the company intends to deploy expertise across biofuel production, battery energy storage, and mobility solutions. In the initial phase, ATRI plans to establish a 20-tonne-per-day biofuel plant, develop a 100-megawatt solar installation, and roll out between 500 and 1,000 electric buses within 24 months.
The projects will be implemented through a special purpose vehicle known as PAX Energy, jointly owned by the Secretariat and its partners, with technology transfer forming a key component of the arrangement. The Secretariat will also work with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to adapt and develop new technologies locally.
Key sector institutions, including the Ghana Grid Company, Volta River Authority (VRA), Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCO), Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), and the Energy Commission, are being engaged to support integration of the additional capacity into the national power system.
