The Kumasi Institute of Technology Energy and Environment (KITE) said on Tuesday that it will begin "a vibrant" campaign for the removal of bottlenecks hampering the development of the solar energy sub-sector in Ghana.

The bottlenecks include high taxes, lack of access to credit, lack of incentives from government, lack of market for entrepreneurs, low quality of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and unavailability of backup services.

KITE holds the view that solar lighting must become an affordable and sustainable alternative source for lighting rural communities which do not have access to electricity.

"Fuel-based lighting systems are not environmentally friendly and sustainable" said Ishmael Edjekumhene, Director of KITE, while welcoming participants to a policy dialogue on "Removal of bottlenecks to Solar PV lighting products in Ghana" in Accra.

The dialogue was part of a two-year "Affordable Lighting for All (ALFA)" project which is ongoing and being coordinated by KITE. The project, spanning April 2008 to March 2010, is being implemented in the Kassena Nankana, Bolgatanga, Builsa and Bongo districts of the Upper East Region, as well as, the Savelugu, Tolon, Gushiegu, Karaga and Zabzugu-Tatale districts of the Northern Region.

The Dutch Government, Philips Lighting Ltd, World Vision International Ghana, DENG, SNV, Rural Energy Foundation (REF) and New Energy are project partners. The Dutch Government through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Environment and Water Department is sponsoring the ALFA project to the tune of 200,000 Euros as part of the Sustainable Energy for Africa (SESA) initiative.

Under the ALFA, KITE and its partners have introduced two Philips solar lanterns - Uday and Mini Uday - onto the Ghanaian market, although it was not the initial intention. The project also offered partial guarantee facility of Euro 30,000 to enable about five local distributors to access credit from the key distributor (DENG Limited). A total of 13 retailers were established in the pilot areas and about 990 lanterns have been sold in and outside the project areas.

Frank Atta Owusu, ALFA Project Manager, said the project sought to address the lighting needs of rural communities.

He called on government to develop programmes that create more demand for solar energy facilities. In addition, he asked government to make the tax regime favourable for importing off-grid (solar) lighting products and component goods.

It is estimated that 40% of Ghana's 23 million population do not have access to electricity. "Unfortunately, these people live in rural and peri-urban communities where the basic need is lighting," Dr Ofosu Ahenkorah, Executive Secretary, Energy Commission, said in a key note address.

He said people without access to electricity were prone to many dangers ranging from falling into drains to attacks from reptiles and other animals. A temporary solution lies in the solar PV systems, he added.