Ghana Energy Commission seeks to modernize regulations and building efficiency standards

Ghana’s Energy Commission is initiating a major overhaul of the nation’s energy regulatory framework. This includes nationwide consultations to re-enact the Energy Commission Act, 1997 (Act 541), aiming to create a more comprehensive law that addresses modern developments in electricity, natural gas, and emerging energy technologies.

The proposed legislative reforms seek to strengthen the Commission’s role as a technical regulator, providing enhanced tools for licensing, market regulation, compliance, and enforcement. This is intended to address gaps caused by a more complex energy sector that now includes renewable energy, distributed generation, and electric mobility.

In tandem with legislative updates, the Commission is planning a ‘carrot and stick’ approach to building energy efficiency. Proposed regulations would integrate energy efficiency requirements directly into the building permit and approval process rather than addressing them after construction. To encourage compliance, the Commission is considering incentives for developers, such as preferential property rates or administrative advantages for buildings achieving high energy-efficiency ratings.