The expo, which is being held in Astana, the capital city of Kazakhstan in the North of Central Asia, will run from June 10 to September 10, 2017 on the overall theme of: “Future Energy” to promote and discover sustainable global energy solutions.

Ghana has chosen for her participation in the Expo 2017 the theme: “Ghana -Haven of Renewable Energy Resources.” Under the concept ‘Energy for All,’ Ghana’s participation would seek to unlock the investment potential in renewable energy for sustainable development.

Launching the Expo, Mr Alan Kyeremanten, the Minister of Trade and Industry, in a speech read on his behalf, said Ghana’s participation in Astana would underscore government’s commitment to being an active player in the deployment of sustainable energy solutions through the use and expansion of the renewable energy sector.

He said the goal of government’s overall energy policy was to increase the share of renewable energy in the total energy mix of the country to 10 per cent by 2020.Mr Kyeremanten said a reliable, affordable, abundant and sustainable supply of energy and power was key to fulfilling government’s agenda of industrial transformation, job creation and economic growth.

“Exploring alternative energy sources is, therefore, essential to be able to meet the energy requirements of these industries,” he said.  Mr Kyeremanten said Ghana’s participation in the Astana Expo 2017 would enable the country to attract investors in the renewable energy sector to further explore the untapped renewable energy potential.

“The Expo is an exceptional platform that can help transform the energy needs of the world and Ghana,” he said, adding that the focus on renewable energy would help make Ghana self-sufficient in energy to boost the industrialisation and job creation agenda. The Minister of Energy, Mr Emmanuel Boakye Agyarko, who was represented, said Ghana had enormous renewable energy potentials and there was the need to tap them for rapid development.

He said the industries could not have survived without the Akosombo and Kpong dams, which are renewable. He said there were potentials for solar, wind and biomass to generate electricity and expressed the hope that Ghana’s participation in Astana 2017 would go a long way to unlock investments into the renewable sector. He reiterated government’s commitment to increasing the contribution of the renewable energy sector to 10 per cent of the total power generation mix by 2020.

In a presentation on Renewable Energy in Ghana, Mr Fred Appiah, an Engineer at the Energy Commission, said Ghana the renewable energy law provided the framework and the incentive regime for investors who were interested in the sector to make a good return on their investments.

Highlights of some of the activities include Ghana Week celebration and Business Forum on Ghana.