THE RENEWABLE ENERGY LAB

The Renewable Energy Lab at the KNUST Engineering Education Project (KEEP) plays a crucial role in advancing engineering research and innovation. Established under KEEP, the lab provides postgraduate students with a dedicated space for research, study, and experimentation in renewable energy technologies. It is equipped with diverse state-of-the-art equipment, including bioenergy devices, biogas analysers, solar kits, solar simulators, and a recently acquired wind simulator. Additionally, the lab supports students from disciplines like materials engineering, providing specialised equipment for various experimental needs.

Beyond serving as a research space for students, the Renewable Energy Lab is an annex to the Brew-Hammond Energy Centre, extending its facilities to research fellows and lecturer-student collaboration on various projects. Among the major research initiatives currently underway is an agrivoltaic project, which explores the co-location of crop production and solar energy generation on the same land. The research team is actively collecting data on the performance of this integrated system to assess its potential impact on food and energy security.

In addition to its core research, the lab strategically collaborates with other research centres, including the Responsible AI Lab (RAIL), to integrate artificial intelligence into energy solutions. A notable ongoing project with GRIDCo focuses on predictive maintenance for power transmission equipment. The team is developing AI models to analyse historical data from transformers, such as temperature variations, to detect anomalies and predict potential failures before they occur. This proactive approach aims to enhance the reliability of Ghana’s power grid by enabling swift interventions before critical failures happen.

The lab is also at the forefront of developing smart energy systems for buildings and research spaces. Researchers are working on IoT-enabled systems that optimise energy efficiency by remotely monitoring and controlling indoor appliances. This initiative combines electrical engineering and artificial intelligence to create intelligent energy management solutions that could be applied to homes, laboratories, and commercial buildings.

Looking ahead, the Renewable Energy Lab anticipates the arrival of additional advanced equipment to further enhance its research capabilities. Since the inception of KEEP, significant investments have been made in procuring cutting-edge devices for the lab, with many still in the pipeline for delivery. With these additions, the lab aims to expand its research scope and foster groundbreaking advancements in renewable energy.

As KEEP continues to drive innovation, the lab remains committed to shaping the future of sustainable energy solutions through research, collaboration, and technology development.