After more than four years of planning and application, the interdisciplinary project “LevelUp” (total budget approx. 3.8 million €) was officially launched on July 28, 2022 with funding approval by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
Under the leadership of the HFR, Prof. Dr. Stefan Pelz and Prof. Dr. Steffen Abele, an innovative and renewable energy park will be created in cooperation with the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) in Sunyani, Ghana led by Ing. Prof. Dr. Nana Sarfo Agyemang Derkyi, and several German and Ghanaian consortium partners.
Technical components such as a solar drying plant, biomass gasification, a biomass fermenter, and an absorption chiller are to be realised and optimised at the UENR campus. Through the energetic utilisation of agricultural and forestry residues, electricity, cooling, and cooking gas will be made available to supply the campus and the surrounding areas with sustainable energy and a clean alternative to cooking on open fires, which is hazardous to health. In addition, biomass suppliers are provided with valuable fertilizer as well as biochar from the process for upgrading their cultivated areas, all within the context of a sustainable circular economy.
Equipping the plant with appropriate sensor technology, optimising the processes to adapt to local conditions, fuels, and the associated fluctuations in performance, as well as a comprehensive training programme for all local participants, complete the extensive package of tasks that the consortium will face over the next three years.
In addition to the participating Universities, Novis GmbH from Tübingen, AHT Syngas Technology from Ratingen, and NeyerBrainworks GmbH from Bludenz, Austria are also involved in the project on the European side.
On the Ghanaian side, UENR makes the project possible in the first place, due to a significant contribution of its own. In addition, companies and institutions such as Abellon CleanEnergy Ghana Ltd, Oti Yeboah Complex Ltd, Zoomlion Ghana Ltd, GRATIS Foundation, Green Water Hut (NGO), the Energy Commission, Ghana, Forestry Commission, Ghana, and the Sunyani Municipal Assembly are supporting the project.
In the coming years, “LevelUp” will offer numerous doctoral students and students from both Universities, increased opportunities to work on a sustainable solution to the country’s unstable energy infrastructure, especially in the numerous off-grid regions, and to develop innovative concepts for the integration of energy, agriculture, forestry, and timber management according to the principle of the circular economy. The project is set to run for a period of three (3) years.
The UENR Team also includes:
Ing. Prof. Dr. Amos Kabo-bah – Member
Prof. Dr. Charles Adarkwa – Member
Prof. Dr. Mrs. Mercy Derkyi – Member
Dr. Richard Bannor – Member
Dr. Gilbert Akolgo – Member
Ing. Andrew Quansah – Member
Ing. Nana Twum Duah – Member
Ing. Christian Nuakoh – Member
Dr. Edward Awafo – Member
Ing. Joseph Kusi Yankyera – Member
Ing. Khadija Sarquah – Member
John-Baptist Siddick – Procurement
Stephen Ntiamoah – Finance
Ms. Abigail Yeboah-Kyereh – Project Administrator
Congratulations to the Teams and all Project Partners for this achievement.
