WASCAL and its stakeholders have engaged in the inaugural edition of the Green Conversations on achievements and prospects for a successful and smooth transition from fossil fuel to clean, cheaper, and sustainable energy in West Africa.
Under the theme,” Enabling Environment for Capacity Building and Research for Green Hydrogen Economy in West Africa,” key speakers from WASCAL and Julich from Germany as well as contributors from across the world participated in a 2-hour interactive session on creating the enabling environment to ensure a successful green economy in West Africa.
Speaking on the contributions of WASCAL towards a smooth transition from fossil fuel to cleaner energy, the Interim Executive Director of WASCAL, Prof Kehinde Ogunjobi emphasized the successful projects and programme implementations by WASCAL in collaboration with its West African and German partners as part of its commitment to achieving the UN Sustainable development Goal 7 on Clean Energy.
He emphasized the successful story of WASCAL’s recent graduation of 59 West African Green Scholars in various Green Hydrogen programmes under its International Programme in Energy and Green Hydrogen, as well as the admissions of 73 students who have just taken off, all to build stronger capacities in West Africa. He further outlined the various activities and interventions such as the waste-to-energy project as well as the PV2H projects.
The conversations further highlighted the need to speed up the smooth transition into green hydrogen and to further explore the available opportunities for West Africans to use cheaper and more sustainable energy.
Since 2021, WASCAL in partnership with its German partners, Julich, RWTH Aachen, Rostock University, as well as its West African university partners, Houphouet Boigny University, Côte d’Ivoire; University Cheikh Anta Diop, Senegal, University of Lomé, Togo, and University of Abdou Moumouni, Niger have worked together to build the capacities of students from 15 West African countries through its International Master’s Programme in Energy and Green Hydrogen.
Speakers included the Interim Executive Director of WASCAL, Prof. Kehinde Ogunjobi, Director of Capacity Building, Prof. Daouda Kone, Madam, Kerstin Annassi, from Julich, Nii Commey, Communications Manager of WASCAL, and Ms. Alberta Aryee, Renewable Energy Coordinating officer. The conversation was moderated by the Coordinator of Renewable Energy and Green Hydrogen in WASCAL, Dr. Bruno Korgo.