1GW Norbert Anku Solar Project Launches as Ghana’s Largest Renewable Initiative

PVTIME – Solar for Industries (SFI), a subsidiary of the Ghanaian construction group LMI Holdings, has commenced the first phase of the Norbert Anku Solar Project, which is set to reach a capacity of 1GW by 2032.

Named after LMI’s first managing director, the development is located in the Dawa Industrial Zone, which is home to many of Ghana’s light and heavy industries. It will be delivered in stages, with 100MW operational by December 2026, followed by a further 100MW in September 2027.

Backed by supporters including the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank Group, Ghana’s Enclave Power Company, the engineering consultancy China International Water & Electric Corporation, and Quarm Investments, the project will offer a 10% discount on electricity to other businesses in the industrial zone, as noted by Quarm Investments CEO Kojo Aduhene. Details of the power purchase agreement remain unannounced.

Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama attended the project’s groundbreaking ceremony last week, noting that it marks the start of Ghana’s clean industrial revolution. He emphasised the importance of local energy production using solar, wind, and water power to uphold national sovereignty. His views align with the European perspective that investing in domestic renewable energy strengthens energy security.

Currently, Ghana’s energy mix is dominated by fossil fuels, with thermal power accounting for 69.9% of generation in 2024, according to the Ghana Energy Commission. Meanwhile, renewables contributed just 2.4% of the country’s 132MW operational capacity by the end of that year. The Norbert Anku Project is set to address this imbalance, becoming the largest operational solar project in sub-Saharan Africa, excluding South Africa, which leads the continent in solar deployment with the 1.4GW Hive Hydrogen solar development project for green hydrogen production.