Kofi Nsiah-Poku, President of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), is calling on the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to modernize its grid infrastructure by implementing reverse metering.
He has identified the lack of this system as a significant bottleneck preventing the expansion of sustainable energy solutions across the country.
As more Ghanaian businesses transition to solar power, many are producing more electricity than they can consume during peak daylight hours.
Under the current system, this surplus is essentially wasted because it cannot be fed back into the national grid.
Mr. Nsiah-Poku argues that this technical limitation discourages private sector investment.
He suggested a “give-and-take” model where consumers provide excess power to the ECG during the day and draw from the grid at night, paying only for the net difference at the end of the month.
”In many parts of the world, reverse meters are standard practice,” Nsiah-Poku noted.
“It is difficult to understand why Ghana remains hesitant to adopt this technology, especially when the government is actively vocal about promoting solar energy.”
The AGI President highlighted a disconnect between government rhetoric and utility operations.
He questioned why the state encourages solar adoption while the ECG lacks the mechanism to integrate that power into its operations.
According to Nsiah-Poku, bridging this gap is essential for improving grid efficiency by utilizing distributed energy from private solar setups, supporting local industry by lowering operational costs for manufacturers through energy credits, and reducing the total load on traditional power plants.
Reverse metering, often referred to as net metering, is a specialized billing arrangement designed for owners of renewable energy systems.
It transforms the consumer from a mere buyer into a “prosumer”: someone who both produces and consumes energy.
When a business’s solar panels generate more power than is currently being used, the extra electricity is automatically sent to the utility grid.
Instead of a standard one-way meter, a “reverse meter” tracks energy flow in both directions.
At the end of the billing cycle, the utility company calculates the “net” energy usage.
For example, if you provided 500 kWh to the grid but used 600 kWh, you are only billed.
By 1960news.com
