2021 SHS Renewable Energy Challenge Competition Won by Sass

The Salaga Senior High School (Sass) has won the 2021 Senior High School (SHS) Renewable Energy Challenge Competition in the Savannah region.

The competition saw brilliant performances from the students across the board.

Student’s representatives of Sass performed creditably well to place them at the top amongst other competitors.

The competition took place at the Damongo Senior High School (Dass) in the West Gonja Municipality of the Savannah region on Thursday, July 22, 2021.

Sass pulled up greatly in the competition in defeating 5 schools with an aggregate of 71.33 points to emerge as winners.

The host school which Dass was 1st runner up with an aggregate of 70.00 points and next was Bole Senior high school (Bosec) occupied the 2nd runner up with 67.00 points.

The rest are Tuna Senior high school placing 4th with 64.33 points whilst Buipe Senior high school occupying 5th with 61.67 points and  Salaga  T.I Ahmadiya Senior High School lying at the bottom with 58.3 points.

The objective of such a competition is to help promote creative thinking and innovation skills among the young students.

It will also whip up the interest of senior high schools to enhance local innovations to help address Ghana’s energy challenges in the near future.
 
The participatory schools had the opportunity to explain some practical measures that can be solutions to Ghana’s energy challenges.

The students however showcased different innovative technologies in producing energy locally to aid the energy sector of the country.

The above schools participating in the second edition of the competition but this is the maiden in the Savannah  Region.

Practical innovations demonstrated by the students included a Biogas presentation was done by T. I. Amass and Tuna SHS whiles Solar energy generation and an e-waste recycling presentation by Buipe SHS. 

The rest were Wind turbine energy was presented by Bole SHS and  Sass and, wind generator presentation done by  Dass.

The Coordinator of the senior high schools Renewable Energy Challenge ( SHSREC) and chief program officer in charge of Bioenergy at the energy commission, Mr Julius Nkansah-Nyarko in his address explained that the Senior high school Renewable energy challenge is another unique programme that the energy commission has introduced into its flagship programme,  the Ghana Renewable  Energy Fair.

He further added that the competition seeks to develop research skills and to promote technological innovation in Renewable energy in the students for them to develop a passion for solving  Renewable Energy Challenges and climate change and also to encourage hardworking through public recognition and rewards.

Mr Julius  Nkansah-Nyarko again stressed that the energy commission will be collaborating with some research institutions in the country such as CSIR, the Brew Hammond energy centre at KNUST to help refine the ideas and projects of the students and also mentor, train and as well prepare them for the finals of the competitions.

The school challenge started in 2019 and was piloted for schools in the Greater Accra Region where 29 schools participated in the first edition but could not come on in 2020 due to the outbreak of Covid 19.
 
The winners of the Regional competition will represent the region for the zonal competitions ( Southern and Northern zones ) which is scheduled for 16th – 27th August 2021 after which the best three schools in each zone will go to finals to be held on 14th October 2021, at the Ghana Renewable  Energy Fair in Accra.

The competition is an initiation of the energy commission of Ghana in collaboration with the Bui Power Authority and the Ghana Education Service ( GES).

Abdul Sammed Gurundari