Sogakofe Senior High School has emerged winner of the 2023 Energy Commission Senior High School Renewable Energy Competition.

Sogakofe SHS' students bested Dormaa SHS from the Bono Region, Kwabre SHS from the Bono East Region, Mfantsiman Girls SHS from the Central Region, Serwaa Kesse Girls' SHS from the Ahafo Region and Yaa Asantewaa Girls’ SHS from the Ashanti Region.

The event was held at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC), Tuesday October 17, 2023.

During year’s edition, themed: ‘Mechanised Small-Scale Agriculture Using Renewable Energy Technologies’, participating schools were expected to develop projects in the area of agriculture where renewable energy technologies could be utilised.

This year’s challenge was opened to all second cycle schools in the country, and an opportunity was given to every region to present their best 10 schools to compete in the regional competitions.

Overall, 125 schools participated in the 16 regional competitions. The schools were subsequently shortlisted after several presentations on their innovative works.

According to Executive Secretary of the Energy Commission Ing Oscar Amonoo-Neizer, the 125 participanting schools in this year’s challenge shows a remarkable increase from the 96 schools of the first national challenge in 2021.

The winners of the regional competitions were grouped into the northern and southern zones, with each zone comprising eight schools.

The best three schools were selected from each zone to present their innovative projects at the grand finale of the challenge.

At the end of the 2023 competition, the winner, Sogakofe SHS, received a cash prize of GH¢10,000, a five-kilowatt solar system, 30 solar lamps, 25 integrated science books, 25 LED streetlights, 10 dustbins, 10 hand washing sinks and a notepad.

The team won with a five-in-one agriculture machine known as The Farmers’ Friend which has five fully functioning integrated systems.

The Farmers’ Friend is able to slash, irrigate, sow, spray and harrow. All these systems can be controlled using the machine’s control panel and a dashboard, with all parts being accessible, whether in use or not.

From the Energy Commission Ghana, the team members of Sogakofe SHS received GH¢15,000, an extra GH¢5,000 for emerging as the best team in the competition, five laptops, 15 solar lamps and five solar fans.

Yaa Asantewaa Girls SHS won the second place and received GH¢7,000, 25 solar lamps, 20 integrated science books and 25 LED streetlights. The team members received GH¢10,000, five tablets, 10 solar lamps and five solar fans.

For winning the third place, Kwabre SHS received GH¢5,000, 20 solar lamps, 15 integrated science books and 25 LED streetlights.