Samsung Electronics Africa has launched a Digital Village at the Volo community in the Volta Region of Ghana.
The Digital Village features a solar powered Internet School that can accommodate up to 24 learners and a solar powered Tele-Medical Center.
Additionally a solar power system will service an Admin Center to be used as office space for local entrepreneurs and other school or community center personnel in the area with limited electricity supply. The project will benefit more than ten neighbouring communities in the region.
Samsung says its Digital Village model helps overcome one of Africa’s biggest economic challenges – electrification. Less than a quarter of rural areas on the African continent have access to reliable electricity, which isolates communities in terms of education, healthcare and connectivity.
Samsung’s Solar-Powered Mobile Internet Schools initiative aims to reach 500, 000 learners and the program has been rolled out in other countries, including Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa.
Samsung says it is working with the Volo community to ensure they receive adequate training to make the most of the facility. The company partnered with various organisations including UNESCO to set up the project.
Ghana is in the midst of an energy crisis. While it has significant hydro-electric infrastructure, water levels at the Akosombo Dam facility are very low, and issues with the nation’s gas fired power plants have seen many blackouts occurring.
According to GhanaWeb, a power rationing timetable was introduced by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) in February. 24-hour blackouts are followed by just 12 hours of electricity supply. The situation is such that many jobs have been lost.
While Ghana’s total installed generation capacity is about 2900 megawatts, it is currently running at 1200 megawatts.
More renewables are in the pipeline for the nation, including 225 megawatt Ayitepa wind farm; which when fully operational will represent a significant part of Ghana’s total electricity generation capacity.
Also still in the works is the 155-megawatt Nzema solar PV project; to be constructed by Blue Energy.
Ghana has set a target of achieving 10% non-hydro renewables electricity production by 2020.
