TITLE:
Strategies for Improving Gas Supplies for Sustainable Power Generation in Ghana
AUTHORS:
Jones Lewis Arthur, Samuel Asiedu-Okantah
KEYWORDS:
Gas Supplies, Risks, Sustainability, Regulators, Growth, Supply, Regulation and Infrastructure
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Power and Energy Engineering,
Vol.9 No.9,
September
15,
2021
ABSTRACT: Technologies for gas conversion have attracted more
serious attention, but energy efficiency, supply deficiencies, as well as other
risks undermining the gas supply industry, make it difficult to achieve sustainability in gas
supply in Ghana. This study explored strategies for improving supplies for
sustainable power generation in Ghana. Specifically, the study investigates the
risks associated with the gas supply industry and also investigates strategies
for improving gas supplies in Ghana. A descriptive study that applied both
qualitative and quantitative tools was applied to data collection and analysis
to allow for an in-depth analysis of the findings of the research. The
population was concentrated on the regulators (Energy Commission) and consumers
(VRA and Sunon Asogli, and GNGC/Eni in the supply domains. In all, 357
population was targeted with a sample of 151. Probability (simple
random sampling) and non-probability (purposive) sampling approaches were
applied to source participants for the study. Statistical inferential tools
that guided the analysis included means, standard deviation, Relative
Importance Index (RII). The study identified issues of power sector debt due to
the weak financial background of the gas supply sector, poor infrastructure,
issues of corruption created by delays, poor transparency and weak regulatory
framework as key risk factors in the gas supply industry in Ghana. The study
also concluded that strategies to support the drive to achieve sustainability
in the gas supply industry should involve a planned action towards providing
regular and improved infrastructure in transportation and gas supply pipelines
to enhance the visibility of the local gas industry and to also meet both
domestic and industrial demand for gas products. Again, there should be the
establishment and maintenance of functional gas-related policies and
regulators, as well as an emergency supply plan to address any shocks that may
tend to impact the gas supply industry in Ghana.