The Centre for Renewable Energy (RE) and Energy Efficiency (EE) at Kumasi Technical University (CREK) was established in 2014 following a grant from Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET) under the Skills Development Fund (SDF). The SDF was funded by World Bank, DANIDA and Government of Ghana.

CREK is a technology and training Centre dedicated to renewable energy and energy efficiency. CREK supports technical capacity building of actors along the RE & EE value chain, enabling the development of the RE resource of Ghana for job creation, increased productivity, and increased income.

Specific areas that fall within the domain of CREK across the various thematic areas (solar, biomass, wind, EE) include, among others:

• conducting energy audit and sustainable energy advisory;
• design, fabrication, testing and sale of improved firewood and charcoal stoves for both households and institutions;
• design, installation, and maintenance of solar photovoltaic systems;
• development and utilization of solar thermal applications such as
• solar water stills for water purification
• solar crop dryers for clean and efficient drying of agricultural produce
• solar ovens for heating water and cooking food
• solar water heaters for domestic and institutional water heating
• solar evaporative coolers for food preservation
• solar de-salinators for removal of salts in water;
• design and construction of integrated biogas (anaerobic waste treatment) digesters for organic waste treatment, energy generation and bio-fertilizer production;
• design, fabrication, and use of low-speed standalone wind turbines for power generation and water pumping;
• development and promotion of gel-ethanol as domestic and institutional source of fuel for heating and cooking;
• design and engineering of kilns for efficient and clean charcoal production; and
• development and promotion of modern fuels (bioethanol, biogas, biodiesel, briquettes, pellets, etc.) for domestic and institutional use.

Thus, CREK will work to overcome challenges facing the clean energy sector in Ghana as outlined below:

• Lack of basic knowledge and maintenance skills about RE systems such as solar PV and biogas digesters;
• Limited knowledge and skills in the manufacture of RE technologies among SMEs and local artisans;
•  Inadequate technical expertise to develop innovative products in REⅇ
•  Inadequate technical trainers in RE&EE  education and promotion;
•  Inadequate integration of RE&EE training, skills acquisition and entrepreneurship, applied research and project development into TVET institutions such as the Technical Universities, National Vocational and Technical Institutions (NVTIs), Technical Institutes and Senior High/Technical Schools;
• Lack of research, development and demonstration of RE&EE programmes and products;
• Low level of technical support to business and investment promotion in RE&EE technologies;
• Weak institutional collaboration between research/educational/technical institutions and SMEs in the RE&EE sector; and
• Lack of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) initiatives and project development.

CREK’s activities will support harnessing Ghana’s abundant energy resources – 5000 MW of wind potential, 5.1 kWh/m²-day average solar irradiation, 24 MW small and medium hydro potential, extensive vegetation and animal, crop and food waste – for rapid integration as well as promoting efficient use of energy (Demand Side Management) for attainment of socio-economic development. CREK will thus become a long-term pivot in RE&EE that will network with relevant institutions and stakeholders in order to overcome the challenges and barriers enumerated.