The Search for Alternative Energy Source

Ghana's foremost Professor of Mathematical Physics, Professor Francis Kofi Ampenyin Allotey has stated that with the Bui Dam hydro project about to take off, it has become paramount that the nation resorted to alternative options of power generation, adding that beyond Bui, which is the last source of any major hydro energy, nuclear energy is no more a luxury but a necessity.

According to Prof Allotey, "Looking at the current trend, it is good that we have the energy mix and we can't depend on only one or two sources. This is where we have had problems; depending too much on either hydro or thermal."

"It is in view of this that nuclear becomes no more an option or a luxury, but a necessity," emphasized Prof. Allotey, the man who at 19 years had established a secondary, technical and commercial school, with himself as Headmaster and teaching Mathematics, Science, and French, Speaking to The Chronicle in an exclusive interview in Accra on Thursday over the state of Ghana's nuclear energy potential in rescuing the country from the current energy crisis, Professor Allotey, who at various times was a Governor of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), indicated that an evaluation is being done to decide on the use of nuclear research for power generation.

Prof. Allotey, also a member of the Energy Commission Board, said Ghana cannot solely rely on thermal sources of power, since the continued supply and pricing of fuel, be it crude oil or gas, would be outside of the country's control. He said it is in the light of this that the use of nuclear energy and coal is under study.

According to the Scientist, with forty years experience in how to handle nuclear issues, including material and waste, Ghana has the expertise to deploy its Nuclear Research to power generation.

Capacity The internationally acclaimed mathematical physicist disclosed further that since 1995, through the IAEA, the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) acquired a small nuclear research reactor (30kw) from China, becoming the first African country south of the Sahara (excluding South Africa, which by then already possessed nuclear power and was capable of manufacturing bombs) to do so.

This research reactor, he said, has been working fine since its installation and going by the increase in energy intensity that characterize industries like the mining sector, there is serious consideration going on to see how early a decision is taken on going nuclear.

On funding for Ghana's nuclear research work, Prof. Allotey, who was until 2001 the Chairman of the GAEC, disclosed that the Commission mainly operates on grants from the IAEA, United States of America (USA) and China. He revealed that even after a decision has been taken to go nuclear, it would take about six to eight years to implement that option.

On whether Ghana's resorting to a higher capacity nuclear reactor for energy production would not incur the ire of the West as is characteristic of especially the USA, Prof. Allotey, who signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT) on Ghana's behalf, said by virtue of Ghana being a signatory to the NPT those fears are groundless.

He explained further that it is when a country attains nuclear full cycle like India, Pakistan and Iran that the wrath of the West is incurred, especially the USA, since at that stage there is no limitation to what a country can do with its nuclear capacity. Explaining further, Prof Allotey said these countries have their own capacity for uranium enrichment (i.e. converting uranium into weapon grade energy).

He revealed that a 400MW capacity nuclear reactor would cost the country $600 million, adding that on the cost-benefit side, when fueled, it takes two years before refueling.

Fuel On the issue of fuelling a nuclear reactor, the scientist explained that Uranium is produced on the continent by Niger, Congo, South Africa and Namibia, among others and therefore that would not be difficult at all. He clarified however that the uranium would first have to be sent to Europe or the US for conversion into fuel energy.

Emerging trends Prof. Allotey emphasized that Europeans are now vigorously embarking on nuclear energy usage, with France already ahead having 80% of its total energy being nuclear based. He said Finland and Sweden follow with 60% and 50% respectively, while other European countries and the USA have over 20% of their energy sources as nuclear.

On the question of why we are not taking advantage of the abundant sunshine in the country to embark on an all-out solar energy policy, Prof. Allotey explained that solar technology is not advanced and efficient. He explained that pilot projects embarked upon brought to the fore difficulty in the maintenance in rural areas, since batteries that stored the energy converted from sunlight by the panels got destroyed.

Renewable energy On the option of renewable energy, Prof. Allotey emphasized that there is the need to have about 10% of the nation's energy supply from that area, for instance, biomas.

According to him there is the need for a change in the culture of waste disposal if we are to rely on waste for energy, since what we generate now is mixed with all sorts of materials, including glass that do not burn well, in addition to it being wet.

The beginning Giving a background to Ghana's nuclear energy potential, Prof. Allotey said at the time of the overthrow of Ghana's first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, all equipment for the nation's 2MW nuclear research reactor, were ready to be installed. What he said was outstanding was the fuel to be used (uranium).

He said as part of that programme, Dr. Nkrumah had many young graduates sent to the Soviet Union and other eastern countries to be trained. The 1966 coup however scuttled the programme, as everything was dismantled.

Prof Allotey disclosed that the National Redemption Council (NRC) government led by General Kutu Acheampong rekindled interest in the nuclear programme in 1972 and in 1973, having been appointed as chairman of the GAEC, they brought in the Russians to test the remains of the equipment.

The GAEC which was established by the Atomic Energy Commission Act, 1963 (Act 204), was to be solely responsible for the peaceful use of atomic energy in Ghana, which involved 'the promotion, development and utilization of nuclear energy for the economic, scientific and technological developments in the country.'

He said unfortunately, by that time almost all the people sent out by the state to be trained to run the research reactor had been lost to the state.

The mathematical physicist said the Russians came to test all the equipment they brought in earlier but at that time the electronic parts of it were in a serious state of disrepair and in addition to that they were charging too much for the services and therefore the contract was abrogated and they were sent away, marking the end of that programme.

A consultant in International Institutions, Prof. Allotey's work has taken him to many nuclear installations in Russia, Poland, East Germany, Iraq, U.S.A, India, West Germany, the U.K., Sweden, the then Yugoslavia, etc. He became a co-director of a course in Advanced Physics at the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in Trieste in Italy in 1976.