The Regional Centre for Energy and Environmental Sustainability (RCEES) from February 28 to 29, 2024 engaged its stakeholders to disseminate activities and achievements of the Centre. The stakeholder conference brought together about 21 partners of the Centre from industry, academia and research institutions who discussed various topics relevant to renewable and sustainable energy as well as forging partnerships between academia and industry.
The participants were welcomed by the Ag. Pro Vice-Chancellor, Prof. John K. M. Kuwornu on behalf of the University Management. In his speech at the opening session, the Ag. Pro Vice-Chancello noted that stakeholder engagement is key to attaining the University’s mandate of training and nurturing graduates’ drive to address pressing energy and environmental challenges in society.
Ag. Pro Vice-Chancellor, Prof. John K. M. Kuwornu
He emphasized the University’s satisfaction with the accomplishments of RCEES throughout its years of operation. He conveyed optimism that the perspectives shared by stakeholders during the conference would contribute mutually to the advancement of the Centre and its partner institutions.
Addressing the participants, the Centre Director, Rev. Ing. Prof. Eric Ofosu Antwi in his presentation showcased the activities of RCEES over the past five years of establishment. He outlined that the Centre which was birth in response to the World Bank’s call has the objectives to enhance capacity to deliver regional high-quality training to address development challenges; maintain and enhance world-class teaching, research and scholarship; ensure the financial sustainability of RCEES; and to sustain strong partnerships with industry and other key stakeholders among others.
RCEES Director, Rev. Ing. Prof. Eric Ofosu Antwi
Additionally, the Director emphasized that RCEES places a strong emphasis on excellence, which is evident in the caliber of graduates it produces. He noted that in the previous academic year, the Centre graduated over 5 PhD students and a substantial number of Master’s students from UENR who have since entered various relevant industries.
A section of participants
To ensure the long-term sustainability of the Centre, the Director disclosed that it has successfully secured around USD 3,988,698 from various donor institutions. Furthermore, he mentioned ongoing collaborations aimed at attracting additional funding. However, he expressed concerns regarding the need for further financial support to fully equip the laboratory facilities. Leveraging the platform, he appealed to stakeholders for assistance in outfitting the laboratory for practical use, highlighting network building as a strategic approach towards achieving sustainable development.
The two-day conference featured presentations and panel discussions on building a network of experts in renewable energy, what the industry expects from academia, industry needs and challenges as well as future collaborations and visibility for RCEES.
Stakeholders present included; Bui Power Authority, Swiss Embassy, DAAD, PURC, Solar Taxi, UNEP, ProReg, Brew Hammond Energy Centre, Tino Solutions, SunFarming and Infra Futura Limited.
