Tax Relief on Solar Equipment Could Trigger Ghana's Rooftop Energy Revolution, UMaT Professor Argues

A senior academic at the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) in Tarkwa has made a passionate case for government intervention to drive rooftop solar adoption in Ghana, saying the country has "nothing to lose" by embracing the technology now.

Professor Christian Kwaku Amuzuvi, Head of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at UMaT, made the call during his address at the institution's 13th Professorial Inaugural Lecture. He urged policymakers to temporarily scrap taxes on solar photovoltaic equipment as a direct incentive to boost uptake among households, hotels, and industries.

Drawing lessons from Ghana's LPG success story, Professor Amuzuvi argued that the same model used to expand liquefied petroleum gas usage across the country could be replicated for rooftop solar. He noted that once citizens are properly educated and given easier access, adoption tends to grow rapidly and eventually becomes routine.

The professor also pushed back against the long-held view that high upfront costs make solar unviable for ordinary Ghanaians. "We are refusing to use it because we always say the initial cost. But now it has become so competitive; that story is over. If we don't go for it, nothing happens. We have nothing to lose if we go for it now," he stated plainly.

Professor Amuzuvi added that while the initial outlay can be significant, solar system owners typically recover their investment within five to seven years. Given that the systems can remain functional for 15 years or more, he described the long-term financial benefit as considerable — amounting to what he called a potential "energy boom" for Ghana.

He concluded that making rooftop solar more accessible would not only reduce Ghana's reliance on conventional energy sources but also ease pressure on natural resources and contribute meaningfully to the country's environmental sustainability goals.