Solar Energy Level 3

Who it is for. People who have finished Solar Energy Level 2, or who can show the same skills. Ghana's TVET framework has eight levels. National Proficiency II covers mostly routine tasks under limited supervision and leads to National Certificate I; National Certificate I covers intricate and varied activities with minimal oversight. This module is written for that next step. That is an honest comparison, not an accreditation.

Bridge from Level 2: what you already know

Level 2 did not cover: the wiring regulations and licence procedure in detail, grid-tied and hybrid design, the inverter and battery sizing method with surge, test limits, lightning protection, warranties, supervising a crew, cold rooms and mills, or a full small-business accounting cycle. This manual does. It keeps every safety gate from Levels 1 and 2.

How the module works

Each unit has learning outcomes, performance criteria, the range and the evidence your assessor needs. You are judged Competent or Not Yet Competent. About 70% of the time is practical. For general money skills see the hub's Money Skills for Small Business Level 2 and Entrepreneurial Thinking Level 2; here we go deeper for a solar business.

Competency standard

Range. Ghana wiring and renewable energy rules; a crew of up to four helpers. Evidence. Rules chart; licence checklist; crew briefing sheet.

The laws in one table

Who may wire

The exam has a written paper, an interview and a practical, run by the Energy Commission with CTVET. By 2021 the Commission had certified 11,513 electricians under the L.I.. Newly built premises not wired by a CEWP were reported to be refused a grid connection. Reports in 2017 said uncertified wiring could bring up to two years in jail. A CEWP must not let uncertified people work under the certificate. It is illegal to engage an uncertified electrician. The revised wiring standard now covers solar and battery storage.

Energy Commission installer licence

• Categories. Installation and Maintenance licence, small-scale up to 100 kW and large-scale 100 kW and above; it lasts 1 year. Large-scale needs a separate permit for each project.
• How to apply. One hard copy and a soft copy to the EC head office (or to renewables@energycom.gov.gh), fee paid on the Ghana.Gov platform, every exhibit labelled and page-numbered.
• Exhibits. Signed letter; ORC registration (Form A for a sole proprietor, Form 3 for a limited company) meeting local participation; directors and officers; technology; company profile; and proof of professional qualification: for solar, a CEWP licence. Large-scale permits add a structural integrity report, an EPA environmental report and a building permit or Assembly consent.
• Used equipment is not allowed. Pump installers need a separate licence, a CEWP certificate and an NVTI Grade 1 plumbing certificate.
• Product registration. The EC fees page lists application and registration fees of GH¢650 for inverters, GH¢450 for batteries and GH¢450 for solar panels, and fines for labelling breaches. The page is undated. Whether you need to register a product you buy from a registered importer is not verified.
• Licence and permit fees are in a schedule that refers to the Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 (Act 1080). The amounts were not readable: not verified. Phone the EC.
• How a company with a CEWP employee qualifies is not verified: ask the EC.
• The Commission says it cannot guarantee the quality of renewable products on the market and has stepped up port checks.

Net metering and selling electricity

• To export extra power to the grid, the EC application must include a Net Metering Agreement. A national net-metering portal was launched in December 2025 for homes, businesses, industry and public facilities.
• PURC's net-metering guidelines group customers as residential, non-residential and industrial, and give credit in kWh for net export. The current capacity limit and credit rate were not verified. Ask ECG, NEDCo or the EC.
• It is a criminal offence to sell solar electricity to others inside ECG or NEDCo areas without a licence. Equipment finance is lawful only if payments are not based on electricity used.

Supervising a crew

Height. Falls are a major hazard in solar work; never climb a ladder carrying a panel; keep at least 3 m from overhead power lines. Ghana's specific rules for work at height were not verified: ask the Department of Factories Inspectorate. Heat: drink water, rest in shade and know the signs of heat stroke.

Competency standard

Range. Two designs: a shop or home, and a small farm or business. Evidence. Design sheets with every calculation, checked by the CEWP.

Three system types

A grid-tied inverter must stop sending power when the grid fails, so it does not endanger line workers. A hybrid inverter isolates a backup circuit so the battery can feed chosen loads. Check the maker's manual. For yearly output, PVGIS gives about 1,550 kWh per year for each 1 kW at Takoradi. Example: a 5 kW array gives about 7,750 kWh a year, or 646 kWh a month. At the residential tariff of 269.22 Gp per kWh above 300 kWh, if every kWh were used on site that saves about GH¢1,740 a month. Exported units may earn less: not verified.

Design method (off-grid)

Use the Level 1 method and design with about 4 sun hours. Worked example (all figures example):

1. Inverter. Running watts at once: 120 + 100 + 80 + 90 + 100 + 100 = 590 W. Add motor start surge: assume 3× for freezer and fridge, so each adds 2× its rating: 2 × 120 + 2 × 100 = 440 W. Peak = 590 + 440 = 1,030 W. Choose continuous at least 590 × 1.25 = 738 W and surge above 1,030 W: a 1.5 kVA pure-sine inverter. Surge ratings differ by maker: read the datasheet.
2. System voltage. The maker of the wiring guide prefers 12 V up to 3,000 VA, 24 V up to 5,000 VA and 48 V above. Choose 24 V to keep current low.
3. Daily DC energy = 3,930 ÷ 0.9 = 4,367 Wh.
4. Battery, 1 day, LiFePO4 at 80% depth. 4,367 ÷ 24 = 182 Ah; ÷ 0.8 = 227 Ah, so about 230 Ah at 24 V (5.5 kWh). LiFePO4 gives about 2,500 cycles at 80% depth and must be charged only between 5 °C and 50 °C. A lead-acid bank at 50% needs about 364 Ah.
5. Panels. 4,367 ÷ (0.85 × 4) = 1,284 W; add 25% = 1,605 W. Use 4 × 450 W = 1,800 W.
6. Strings. Panel Voc 49 V (example), cold factor 1.1. Two in series: 2 × 49 × 1.1 = 107.8 V; two such strings in parallel. This is under a 150 V controller limit.
7. Controller. Battery-side current at worst = 1,800 ÷ 24 = 75 A; × 1.25 = 94 A; choose a 100 A MPPT rated above 107.8 V input.
8. Battery to inverter cable. 1,500 VA ÷ 24 V = about 63 A. For a 2 m run each way (4 m total) a 25 mm² cable carries up to 75 A in the maker's table, matching the rule of thumb of amps ÷ 3 = 21 mm² rounded up. Fuse the positive close to the battery, and for lithium use at least one fuse able to break the bank's short-circuit current.

Competency standard

Range. One design and the training rig. Evidence. Cable sheet; protection checklist; test record; documentation pack.

Cables and fuses at depth

• Voltage drop below 2.5%. The wiring guide's table gives the maximum current for a given cable, with total length = positive plus negative: for 35 mm², 105 A up to 5 m, 53 A up to 10 m, 35 A up to 15 m.
• Fuse each load on the positive, with a main fuse upstream; fuse voltage rating must be at least the system voltage, as many DC fuses are rated only for 12 V or 24 V.
• Where there are several inverters, use identical DC cable runs of the same type, size, length and torque, or the unit with the lowest voltage overloads first.

Earthing and lightning

• A PV array does not make a building more likely to be struck, but it can carry surges into the building. Whether to fit lightning protection is decided by a risk assessment under IEC 62305-2. PV must not interfere with any existing lightning protection.
• Surge protective devices are required for PV unless a risk analysis shows they are not needed. One maker's guide says that if the safe separation distance from the lightning system is 0.7 m or more, a Type II DC surge protector with 6 mm² earth cable is used; below 0.7 m, a Type I+II with 16 mm² cable. The calculation sits in IEC 62305-3.
• Keep cable loops small and run DC, AC and data cables with the equipotential bonding.
• No Ghana earth resistance target was found. As a guide, an earthing maker reports that the lightning protection standard IEC/BS EN 62305-3 says the earthing system should have an overall resistance to earth of 10 ohms or less. The CEWP or lightning designer sets the actual target. Coastal Takoradi's salty, wet ground may differ from dry inland ground: ask the designer.

Test limits

The tests are earth continuity, polarity (before strings are joined), open-circuit voltage (Voc), short-circuit current (Isc), function and insulation resistance.

• Voc and Isc: identical strings should read within 5% of each other in steady sun; a low reading may mean wrong wiring, a failed module or a shorted bypass diode.
• Insulation test voltage: the IEC 62446 standard recommends 250 V for arrays under 120 V, 500 V for 120 to 500 V and 1,000 V above 500 V, as reported in the guide. The same guide reports that IEC 62446 accepts at least 0.5 MΩ for arrays under 120 V, and 1 MΩ or more above 120 V. Check the edition of the standard and the maker's tester manual.
• Insulation tester precautions: insulating gloves; isolate the circuit; never test circuits with inverters, controllers or surge protectors connected, and never test batteries; discharge the circuit after the test. PV circuits stay energised in light.

The documentation pack and handover

Single-line diagram; ratings and datasheets; operation and maintenance guide; emergency shutdown steps posted at the system; test results; contract and warranties. Put isolators and labels where all users, including wheelchair users, can reach them. Give the owner a plain-language guide, in Fante or Twi if helpful.

Competency standard

Range. Two systems in use; one farm. Evidence. Maintenance contract; fault report; warranty log; pump and load sizing.

Fault finding by comparison

Compare what you measure with what you expect: identical strings should have Voc and Isc within 5% of each other. Also compare battery voltage, the inverter display and yesterday's yield. Start with fuses and breakers, wires, battery, and shade (Level 1 order). Examples (example readings):

Lithium batteries left flat can be ruined by a small constant drain. A lithium battery fire gives off toxic gas.

Warranties

Product warranties on panels are commonly 10 to 15 years, with some at 20 or 25; performance warranties commonly guarantee 80 to 90% of rated power at 25 years; inverters are often 5 to 10 years. Check whether "25 years" is the product or the performance warranty, and what it excludes. Keep invoice, serial numbers and photos in your warranty log. Your own workmanship warranty must be written in the contract.

End of life

Act 917 (2016) was repealed by the Environmental Protection Act 2025 (Act 1124), which covers e-waste. Old lead-acid batteries are sold whole, with the acid inside, to a licensed recycler. Check current rules with the EPA.

Solar pumps by daily volume

Use total head = lift + drawdown + friction, hydraulic watts = head × flow (L/s) × 9.81, electrical = hydraulic ÷ efficiency (30 to 40% for planning). The sun does not give full power all day, so size by energy. Only a licensed pump installer may install it. Example: 30 m³ a day, total head 20 m.

1. Hydraulic energy = 9.81 × 20 m × 30,000 kg ÷ 3,600 = 1,635 Wh.
2. Electrical = 1,635 ÷ 0.35 = 4,671 Wh.
3. Panels = 4,671 ÷ (4 sun hours × 0.8) = about 1,460 W.

Pump finance in Ghana has used 17-month repayments matched to crop cycles with no collateral.

Cold rooms and mills

• Cold room. A research design of a small 3.4 m³ room used a 0.9 kW compressor, 13.3 kW of PV and 4.54 kWh of battery, aiming for at least 6 hours of thermal backup. Real sizing needs the maker's heat-load calculation. Cold rooms are sold on pay-as-you-go terms in Ghana.
• Mill (example). A 2.2 kW motor running 4 hours uses 8.8 kWh. Panels = 8.8 ÷ (4 × 0.8) = 2.75 kW. A mill running only in strong sun may avoid a battery, but motor starting surge needs a suitable inverter or drive: ask the maker.

Competency standard

Range. A small installation, maintenance and sales business in the Western Region. Evidence. Legal-form comparison; registration checklist; start-up budget; one-page plan.

Choose a legal form

A VSLA shows that groups work when rules are written and kept. A partnership with a CEWP is common in this trade; write who owns what.

Registration step by step

Premises and location settings that give good returns

Start-up budget (example)

Financing

• Your own savings (aim for 30%), susu or VSLA, microfinance and banks. The Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA) helps MSMEs reach credit. A GEA grant round for 150 persons with disability in 2023 was applied for online; no current round was verified.
• The Assemblies' disability fund rose to 5% in 2026.
• Pay-as-you-go: customers pay a deposit and then mobile money instalments. Use this only with enough working capital and a lawful structure (no payments based on electricity used).
• Never pay a "processing fee" to get a grant or loan. Call 292 if someone asks.

Hiring and the Labour Act

• A job of six months or more needs a written contract; give a written statement of main terms within two months (s.12, s.13). Notice is one month for three years or more, two weeks for less than three years, seven days for week-to-week work (s.17, s.18(4)). At least 15 working days of paid annual leave (s.20); at most 8 hours a day and 40 a week (s.33). The employer provides safe conditions and PPE at no cost. Unfair dismissal can go to the National Labour Commission (s.63, s.64).

For employees SSNIT applies; the employer share and its split between tiers conflicted across sources, so ask SSNIT. Self-employed people are urged to contribute 13.5% of income for at least 12 months. Train apprentices with a written agreement, safety rules and a fair allowance. Only a CEWP-certified person is hired to wire.

Insurance. Get written quotes for tools, vehicle, stock and public liability. Insurers will not cover premises without a fire certificate.

Market yourself

WhatsApp Business is a free app with a profile, catalogue and quick replies. A Google Business Profile is free; never pay anyone to "verify" you. Show your licence number, before-and-after bill photos (with permission), a portfolio of installs, signage on your vehicle, WhatsApp maintenance reminders and referrals. Do not oversell: say "not known" if you do not know.

Accessibility

The Persons with Disability Act 2006 (Act 715) is reported to give employers a tax rebate for hiring persons with disabilities. Takoradi Technical University has a disability support unit and has graduated deaf students. Design and maintenance work suits many people with physical disabilities. Use ground-level work, buddy any roof work, give deaf customers text or video alarms and put shutdown labels at wheelchair height.

One-page plan and pitch

Competency standard

Range. One month of records; one job costing; a year's forecast. Evidence. Cash book; month-end set; costing and quote; 12-month forecast.

The books you keep

• Cash book: every money in and out, with a receipt number. Receipts and invoices: number them; for credit customers set a due date. Take a deposit (for example 60%) before you buy materials.
• Petty cash: a small fixed float; top up against slips.
• Stock records: panels, batteries, inverters by serial number; cables, lugs, fuses by quantity. Serial numbers support warranty claims.
• Debtors and creditors: who owes you and whom you owe, with dates.
• Owner and business money are separate: pay yourself a salary; never take money from the till without a record.

Sample cash book page (example; opening cash GH¢5,000):

Check: 5,000 + 24,600 − 16,300 = 13,300. Then count the real money: cash 1,800 + MoMo 4,500 + bank 7,000 = 13,300. If they differ, find the gap before the month closes.

Month-end routine

1. Total the cash book; count cash, and check MoMo and bank statements against it (reconcile).
2. List debtors and creditors; chase overdue payments.
3. Count stock; record it.
4. Record depreciation.
5. Prepare the profit statement and balance sheet.
6. File receipts. Note tax and SSNIT dates and pay them.

Profit statement and balance sheet

Revenue minus cost of goods sold gives gross profit; minus other costs gives net profit. A balance sheet shows assets, liabilities and equity on one day: assets = liabilities + equity.

Depreciation (straight line). Tools GH¢18,000 (example), life 5 years, no value at the end: 3,600 a year, GH¢300 a month. Vehicle GH¢25,000 with GH¢5,000 value at the end: (25,000 − 5,000) ÷ 60 months = GH¢333.33 a month.

Worked month (example: 3 installs at GH¢24,000, 10 service visits at GH¢300):

• Total costs = 41,400 + 18,733.33 = 60,133.33. Margin = 14,866.67 ÷ 75,000 = 19.8% of the selling price. Mark-up = 14,866.67 ÷ 60,133.33 = 24.7% of cost. They are different numbers: do not mix them.
• Break-even. Fixed costs (wages 4,800, owner 6,000, rent 1,000, phone 600, insurance 500, depreciation 633.33) = 13,533.33. Variable cost per install = 13,800 + 1,200 + 533.33 (transport) = 15,533.33. Each install at 24,000 adds 8,466.67. 13,533.33 ÷ 8,466.67 = 1.6, so you need 2 installs a month to cover costs.

Simple balance sheet, 31 October (example): assets: cash, MoMo and bank 13,300 + debtors 6,000 + stock 3,700 + tools and vehicle (after depreciation) 41,000 = 64,000. Liabilities: supplier owed 5,000 + loan 20,000 = 25,000. Equity = 64,000 − 25,000 = 39,000 (owner's capital 24,000 + kept profit 15,000).

Costing and quoting a job

Full job cost = materials + CEWP fee + labour + transport + a share of overhead. Price from cost plus the margin you need, then check the market. A 30% mark-up on GH¢18,000 gives GH¢23,400, which is only a 23.1% margin; for a 30% margin, price = 18,000 ÷ 0.7 = GH¢25,714.

Sample quote lines (example, with sourced market prices): 4 × 460 W panels at about GH¢1,250 each = 5,000; a 48 V 5 kWh lithium battery was listed at GH¢11,000 to 17,000; inverter, controller, cables, frames, protection, labour, CEWP sign-off, test and documentation priced from your own supplier quotes. Every quote states the scope, brands, warranties, deposit, balance date, validity, and the exclusions. Import duty and VAT on panels has been criticised by experts, so ask your supplier what is included.

Cash-flow forecast

A forecast has four lines: opening cash, money in, money out and closing cash. Month 1 closing becomes Month 2 opening. Build 12 months. Place big, rare costs in the right month (bulk panel purchase, insurance, licence renewal in a year, loan repayments) and test a bad case: sales 20% lower.

Tax records

Keep every receipt for tax and loans. The Modified Taxation Scheme began on 1 July 2025: an instalment up to GH¢20,000 turnover; turnover tax of 3% of sales for GH¢20,001 to 750,000; or the modified cash basis. It is for people not VAT-registered; professionals, owners of several outlets and partners cannot use the first two routes. From 1 January 2026 the VAT threshold for goods rose to GH¢750,000. For services there is no turnover threshold. Whether an installation counts as goods or services for VAT, and how a company is taxed, was not verified: show panels and labour separately on invoices and ask GRA or an accountant.

Competency standard

Range. A business plan for one trainee or group. Evidence. Quality checklist; contract outline; capstone presentation.

Quality systems and customer care

Pricing strategy

Price from your cost plus the margin you need, then check the market. Do not copy the lowest seller, who may be using used or fake products. Offer options (basic, standard, extended warranty) and a maintenance plan as a recurring income. Small discounts for prompt payment, not for nothing.

Contracts, tenders and partnerships

• Contracts: put in writing scope, brands, price, deposit, dates, test and handover, warranty period and what is excluded. Get advice before signing.
• Tenders and institutions: schools, clinics and hotels may buy by tender or contract; keep registration, tax, EC licence and fire papers ready.
• Partnerships: a group can buy panels in bulk or share a vehicle and test kit. Partner with a licensed pump installer for pump jobs.

Records for loans and funders

Funders read an executive summary, needs, project description, budget and cover letter. Bring 12 months of cash book, bank or MoMo statements, registration papers, licences, the forecast and quotes. Never give your Ghana Card, passbook or SIM as security to an unlicensed lender.

Scaling, succession and ethics

Grow when your records show profit for six months, you have repeat customers and your CEWP and crew can carry more. Add one worker or one vehicle at a time. Write down how to run the business: customer list, supplier contacts, licences and renewal dates, loan papers, standard steps and passwords, so a family member or manager can take over. Ethics: never sell used equipment as new, never let an uncertified person wire, never bribe an inspector, never hide a defect, pay workers on time and tell the truth about savings and warranties. A good name is the most valuable asset.

Capstone: present to a panel

Present your one-page business plan and 12-month cash-flow forecast in 7 minutes, then answer 5 minutes of questions. The panel checks the numbers (price per job, break-even, cash low point), the licences and the CEWP arrangement, the safety plan, the warranty promise and the risk plan. Say "not known" for what you do not know; never invent a figure.

1. Who may wire a solar system in Ghana, and what must an installer show for an EC licence?
2. How long does an Installation and Maintenance licence last, and what is the small-scale limit?
3. Why does a grid-tied system go off in a power cut?
4. What sun hours do you use for off-grid, and why?
5. How do you size an inverter for a freezer?
6. Within what percentage should identical strings read in Voc?
7. What is the voltage-drop limit, and what does "total length" mean in the cable table?
8. How is a pump sized by daily volume?
9. Which law repealed Act 917?
10. What is the difference between margin and mark-up?
11. What three things must a month-end routine do with cash, MoMo and bank?
12. Name two things a 12-month forecast should test.

Best next reads: the EC licence guidelines and your CEWP syllabus; the Victron "Wiring Unlimited" book; the hub's Money Skills Level 2 and Entrepreneurial Thinking Level 2; the ORC and GRA websites.

What this module does not cover: wiring and connection work (CEWP only), mini-grids and utility-scale plants, detailed lightning-protection design (use a qualified designer), company audits and payroll tax, and current licence fees, net-metering capacity limits, loan rates and insurance premiums (get them in writing). Items marked "not verified" must be confirmed with the agency named.

Every source used in this manual is listed, with links, in the Teacher Copy.