The Chief Executive Officer of the Petroleum Hub Development Corporation, Dr. Toni Aubynn, has dismissed concerns that the global shift toward renewable energy could undermine the relevance of Ghana’s planned Petroleum Hub.
Speaking exclusively to EnergyCrossroad.com on the sidelines of a public lecture at the China Europe International Business School in Accra, Dr. Aubynn said the global energy transition would not diminish the importance of petroleum infrastructure, stressing that fossil fuels will remain critical to industrial development for decades.
The lecture, themed “Energy Sovereignty in the Context of Global Energy Transition: What Africa Should Know,” provided the platform for Dr. Aubynn to outline why petroleum will continue to play a central role in Africa’s development agenda.
“Fossil fuels will be with us for a very long time, not only for power generation but also for industrialization,” he said. “You need fossil fuels to manufacture steel, which is made from manganese, iron and coke—and coke itself is a fossil fuel.”
He added that unless the world decides to stop using steel entirely, fossil fuels will remain relevant. Dr. Aubynn further noted that several industries, including pharmaceuticals, rely heavily on petroleum products such as naphtha and gas condensates, while everyday technologies like mobile phones are produced using components derived from fossil fuels.
Addressing concerns about the impact of the energy transition on the Petroleum Hub project, Dr. Aubynn said he harbours no fears. “I do not entertain any fear. What I see is a transition that must be sensible to our context,” he stated, adding that energy transition considerations are already being integrated into the hub’s development.
According to him, the hub’s ancillary infrastructure will significantly rely on renewable energy. “All the supporting infrastructure will use solar energy. In fact, there will be a significant amount of solar within the hub,” he said. He also revealed that green hydrogen is being considered as an additional power source, alongside natural gas.
“Gas is relatively cleaner, so instead of relying on liquid fuels, we are looking at gas as a major feedstock to power the hub. This reflects our awareness of the energy transition,” Dr. Aubynn explained.
The Petroleum Hub CEO also praised President John Dramani Mahama for demonstrating strong leadership in advancing the project. He said improvements have been made in the land acquisition process and expressed optimism that investors interested in participating in Phase One of the project would come on board once land acquisition is completed.
Dr. Aubynn further dismissed suggestions that refinery projects in Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire could threaten Ghana’s plans, noting that the Petroleum Hub is fundamentally different from a conventional refinery.
“We are building a hub, not just a refinery. Our only concern is delay—because if we delay too much, others could steal the idea,” he said.
He concluded by disclosing that several Asian countries are closely monitoring Ghana’s progress toward establishing the Petroleum Hub, signaling growing international interest in the project.
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