After an approximately 2-year process, the Ghanaian authorities have issued the so-called Airspace Safety Permit for the 200 MW Konikablo Wind Farm, which is mandatory for the construction and operation of the wind farm.

The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) based its decision to issue the permit on extensive studies that NEK carried out between 2019 and 2020 to show that the planned wind farm will not have any negative impact on civil air traffic in Ghana. The issuing of the permit was preceded by extensive clarifications, calculations, simulations and meetings, which were necessary for the authorities to approve the paper.

This project has thus cleared another important hurdle in the approval process and is a big step closer to the realisation of the wind farm.

The Konikablo Wind Farm will have an installed capacity of around 200 MW, depending on the type of turbine finally selected. The GCAA permit allows for total construction heights of a maximum of 246 m above ground, which is sufficient for hub heights of the turbines of around 160 m. The wind farm will be connected to the transfer station in Sege, located directly in the project area, where grid access to the 330 kV line is planned.

We expect the Konikablo Wind Farm to have received the few remaining permits, including the Power Purchase Agreement, by mid-2022, so that construction of the project can begin in 2023. Thanks to the electricity produced with this project, at least part of the opening electricity gap in Ghana can be covered. In addition, the project will help Ghana to meet its commitments under the Paris Climate Agreement and COP26 of Glasgow.