Impact of climate change and variability on hydropower in Ghana

Sylvester Afram Boadi; Kwadwo Owusu

doi:10.1080/19376812.2017.1284598

Impact of climate change and variability on hydropower in Ghana

Sylvester Afram Boadi
, Kwadwo Owusu

Department of Geography & Resource Development

University of Ghana

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

42 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Ghana continues to rely heavily on hydropower for her electricity needs. This hydropower reliance cannot ensure sustainable development since there is a strong association between hydropower production and climate variability and change including ENSO-related lake water levels reduction. Using regression analysis this study found that rainfall variability accounted for 21% of the inter-annual fluctuations in power generation from the Akosombo Hydroelectric power station between 1970 and 1990 while ENSO and lake water level accounted for 72.4% of the inter-annual fluctuations between 1991 and 2010. There is therefore the need to diversify power production to attain energy security in Ghana.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	19-31
Number of pages	13
Journal	African Geographical Review
Volume	38
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/19376812.2017.1284598
Publication status	Published - 2 Jan 2019

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy
SDG 13 Climate Action

Keywords

El Niño-Southern Oscillation
Ghana
climate change and variability
energy security
hydropower

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10.1080/19376812.2017.1284598

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title = "Impact of climate change and variability on hydropower in Ghana",

abstract = "Ghana continues to rely heavily on hydropower for her electricity needs. This hydropower reliance cannot ensure sustainable development since there is a strong association between hydropower production and climate variability and change including ENSO-related lake water levels reduction. Using regression analysis this study found that rainfall variability accounted for 21\% of the inter-annual fluctuations in power generation from the Akosombo Hydroelectric power station between 1970 and 1990 while ENSO and lake water level accounted for 72.4\% of the inter-annual fluctuations between 1991 and 2010. There is therefore the need to diversify power production to attain energy security in Ghana.",

keywords = "El Ni{\~n}o-Southern Oscillation, Ghana, climate change and variability, energy security, hydropower",

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T1 - Impact of climate change and variability on hydropower in Ghana

AU - Boadi, Sylvester Afram

AU - Owusu, Kwadwo

PY - 2019/1/2

Y1 - 2019/1/2

N2 - Ghana continues to rely heavily on hydropower for her electricity needs. This hydropower reliance cannot ensure sustainable development since there is a strong association between hydropower production and climate variability and change including ENSO-related lake water levels reduction. Using regression analysis this study found that rainfall variability accounted for 21% of the inter-annual fluctuations in power generation from the Akosombo Hydroelectric power station between 1970 and 1990 while ENSO and lake water level accounted for 72.4% of the inter-annual fluctuations between 1991 and 2010. There is therefore the need to diversify power production to attain energy security in Ghana.

AB - Ghana continues to rely heavily on hydropower for her electricity needs. This hydropower reliance cannot ensure sustainable development since there is a strong association between hydropower production and climate variability and change including ENSO-related lake water levels reduction. Using regression analysis this study found that rainfall variability accounted for 21% of the inter-annual fluctuations in power generation from the Akosombo Hydroelectric power station between 1970 and 1990 while ENSO and lake water level accounted for 72.4% of the inter-annual fluctuations between 1991 and 2010. There is therefore the need to diversify power production to attain energy security in Ghana.

KW - El Niño-Southern Oscillation

KW - Ghana

KW - climate change and variability

KW - energy security

KW - hydropower

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85012303135

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DO - 10.1080/19376812.2017.1284598

M3 - Article

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SN - 1937-6812

VL - 38

SP - 19

EP - 31

JO - African Geographical Review

JF - African Geographical Review

IS - 1

ER -

Impact of climate change and variability on hydropower in Ghana

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

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