The Kpando Senior High School (SHS) from the Volta Region has been crowned champions at the fifth edition of the National Senior High Schools Renewable Energy Challenge in Accra. Kpando SHS topped five other schools in the finals, where participating schools were expected to develop projects focusing on land degradation and water pollution, where renewable energy technologies could be utilised. The challenge organised by the Energy Commission (EC), the Ghana Education Service and various partners and sponsors, had the theme: 'Application of Renewable Energy Technologies in Solving Land Degradation and Water Pollution.' The event also saw the commercialisation of the redefined and redeveloped Solar Dehydration developed by the Kpedze SHS, winners of the third edition, to make it available to use in processing agricultural produce. The new champions, Kpando SHS, which chalked 85 per cent, were presented with GH?10,000, a plaque, 25 pieces of LED streetlights, 25 pieces of GAST books, 40 pieces of solar lam ps, and a 5kw solar PV system. The team also won a cash prize of GHS15,000 for all three contestants, five laptop computers, 15 pieces of solar lamps, 20 pieces of solar wall lights, a certificate each for the contestants and a set of branded souvenirs. Dabokpa Technical Institute, who placed second with a score of 82 per cent received a cash prize of GH?7,000, a plaque, 25 pieces of LED streetlights, 20 pieces of GAST books, 30 pieces of solar lamps, while the team received GH?10,000, five tablets, certificates, and other solar products. St. James Seminary SHS placed third with a score of 81 per cent, and received GH?5,000 and a plaque, 15 pieces of GAST books, 25 pieces of LED streetlights and 25 pieces of solar lamps to the school with GH?10,000, five tablets, branded souvenirs, certificates and solar products to the team. Obuasi Senior High Technical School, Ahantaman Girls' SHS, and Ola Girls' SHS placed fourth, fifth and sixth respectively, with 80 per cent, 79 per cent and 78 per cent as their scor es. They received GH?3,000, solar products and a plaque each, and GH?5,000, five mobile phones, 10 pieces solar lamps, certificates and sets of branded souvenirs to the various teams. Ahantaman Girls' SHS won the Professor George Hagan Best Teamwork award. The Second Lady, Mrs Samira Bawumia, said according to the World Bank's Ghana Country Environmental Analysis (CEA), environmental degradation cost Ghana $6 billion annually, and that there was the need to seek opportunities through innovation, for ingenuity and for a positive change. She said the use of unclean cooking methods caused serious health issues, including over 2,000 premature deaths in Ghana annually. 'As an advocate for clean cooking, I am committed to promoting the use of technologies that made cooking safer and more sustainable,' she added. Mrs Bawumia urged the Commission to continue the initiative and looked forward to a continued partnership to provide more SHSs modern, efficient biomass kitchens. Mr Collins Adomako-Mensah, Deputy Mi nister of Energy, said the Ministry had provided 200 LED streetlights and 300 solar lamps to support the challenge this year, assuring the Commission of the Ministry's continuous support to the challenge. He promised that the Ministry would provide 600 streetlights and 1000 solar alarms to cater for the next three editions of the challenge. 'By doing this, we expect to improve the lighting in schools in order to enhance the security of students and staff,' he added. Mr Oscar Amonoo-Neizer, Executive Secretary, EC, said the initiative was to fulfill the Commission's mandate under the Renewable Energy Act, aiming to advance and effectively utilise renewable energy through public education and regulation of industry entrepreneurs. He said the Challenge was not just a competition, but a platform for the next generation of innovators and inventors to make a real difference in their communities and beyond. 'By embracing renewable energy technologies, these students are helping to shape a sustainable future for Ghana,' he said. Source: Ghana News Agency