Sustainability at all levels
GPC (Green Palm Circuit) is more than just a palm oil mill – it is a learning and innovation center for the circular economy. The combination of research, training, know-how transfer and local economic power creates a system that is self-sustaining and continues to grow: ecologically sustainable, economically stable and socially anchored.
The palm oil mill uses all organic by-products from production to generate biogas – producing clean energy for kitchens, training centers and workshops. At the same time, the nutrient-rich fermentation residue is returned to the farmers as high-quality fertilizer – a closed cycle that combines energy, agriculture and income.
The goal: a system that not only works ecologically, but is also economically viable. The mill creates local jobs, strengthens small businesses and uses its income to help finance further projects in education, waste management and social entrepreneurship.
Knowledge creates impact
A central component of the Green Palm Circuit is the development of know-how and local expertise. In collaboration with the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) and ISEES Ghana, the biogas technology is being continuously improved and adapted to local conditions.
This is not just about technology, but also about knowledge transfer and independence: the ZHAW is conducting three specialized workshops in Ghana in which specialists and students are trained as biogas experts. The special feature is the train-the-trainer approach – knowledge is not held centrally, but passed on in a targeted manner. Participants learn how to operate and maintain the plants independently and pass on their knowledge in the region. This creates a growing network of local experts that secures energy production in the long term and drives innovation locally.
The close link between research and practice ensures that scientific findings flow directly into everyday life – and have an impact where they are most urgently needed. Data on energy generation, resource efficiency and CO₂ savings is continuously collected, evaluated and integrated into the further development of the system.
The project is supported by various Swiss foundations and as part of the REPIC pilot programan initiative of the SDC, SECO, FOEN and SFOE that promotes innovative energy and resource systems in developing and emerging countries. REPIC is supporting the Green Palm Circuit as a model project to test its transferability to other regions and to strengthen the transfer of knowledge between research, practice and politics.
The results of this collaboration go far beyond Busua: the Green Palm Circuit serves as a transferable model that shows how clean energy, local value creation and social development can strengthen each other. What is being created here is more than just an energy project – it is a social enterprise and learning system for sustainable development that anchors knowledge, promotes responsibility and shapes the future.
Energy for people and the future
Your donation will help 600 farming families in Ghana to switch to organic farming and protect people and the soil at the same time.
Project partners
By working with strong partners, we gain more influence both nationally and internationally to achieve our goals efficiently.
