Richard Opoku
The overarching research focus of this study is on advancing sustainable energy solutions across various sectors, from renewable technologies to policy impacts. Key areas include: 1. **Sustainable Energy Development**: Research into coconut waste bioenergy, solar power systems, and green houses as renewable energy sources, highlighting their applications in agriculture and urban settings. 2. **Advanced Materials for Sustainable Applications**: Exploration of physicochemical properties of building materials and the development of advanced batteries and supercapacitors, addressing environmental challenges. 3. **Technology-Driven Innovations**: Integration of smart technologies like machine learning and IoT to optimize energy grids, focusing on renewable systems and grid-tied solar power in rural communities. 4. **Energy Efficiency Improvements**: Studies on thermal management techniques and photovoltaic efficiency, aiming to reduce energy consumption and promote sustainable practices globally. 5. **Policy and Infrastructure Development**: Analysis of social sciences papers such as university-industry-governance models and smart grid technologies, emphasizing their role in addressing economic and environmental impacts. 6. **Urban Heat Island Mitigation**: Research on strategies to reduce urban heat islands through improved insulation and green infrastructure. 7. **Thermal Management Systems**: Development of systems for efficient heating and cooling, crucial for both residential and industrial applications. 8. **Advanced Battery and Thermal Efficiency Technologies**: Comparative analyses of battery technologies, such as solar and thermal, to enhance energy efficiency in buildings and households. 9. **Energy Economics and Supply Chain Optimization**: Studies on optimizing industrial energy consumption through regression models and machine learning, aiming for circular economy practices. 10. **Fluid Dynamics and Environmental Impact Assessment**: Research on fluid dynamics, including turbulent flows and buoyancy cooling, to improve thermal management systems. This structured approach ensures a comprehensive exploration of themes across domains, from immediate applications like bioenergy to long-term societal impacts, providing a holistic view of sustainable energy solutions.
Faculty Biography
Dr. Richard Opoku is a senior lecturer at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, KNUST. He has over 12 years of post-BSc and 10 years of post-MSc experience as mechanical engineer, energy auditor, energy efficiency advisor and solar PV system design and installation advisor. He is an energy consultant with a lot of experience in research and development (R&D) of projects in energy efficiency, renewable energy (solar energy) for irrigation, refrigeration and air-conditioning systems, solar energy for cooling applications and food preservation, solar crop drying and solar water pumping. Dr. Richard Opoku also has over 10 years of professional experience in capacity building and training including training of facility managers on energy efficiency and renewable energy under DENG Institutional Capacity Building Project; training on operation and maintenance of refrigeration systems under Ghana Energy Commission Project in 2007, etc.In the area of research, his interest is the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning in improving energy use in buildings, as well as in mechanical and industrial processes.
Advanced Battery Technologies Research
Agriculture and Rural Development Research
Agriculture Sustainability and Environmental Impact
Biodiesel Production and Applications
Building Energy and Comfort Optimization
Cassava research and cyanide
Cocoa and Sweet Potato Agronomy
Coconut Research and Applications
Electric Vehicles and Infrastructure
Energy and Environment Impacts
Energy Efficiency and Management
Engineering Applied Research
Fluid Dynamics and Heat Transfer
Fluid Dynamics and Turbulent Flows
Heat Transfer and Optimization
Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems
Hygrothermal properties of building materials
Network Security and Intrusion Detection
Oil Spill Detection and Mitigation
Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts
Phase Change Materials Research
Photovoltaic System Optimization Techniques
Photovoltaic Systems and Sustainability
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technologies
Smart Grid Energy Management
Solar Thermal and Photovoltaic Systems
Spacecraft and Cryogenic Technologies
Supercapacitor Materials and Fabrication
Sustainable Supply Chain Management
Thermochemical Biomass Conversion Processes
Thermodynamic and Exergetic Analyses of Power and Cooling Systems
University-Industry-Government Innovation Models
Urban Heat Island Mitigation
Wind Energy Research and Development
A proposed blockchain technology approach for securing IoT-enabled renewable and grid metering systems
Open AccessBridging renewable energy policy and sustainable aviation fuel deployment: empirical insights from biomass resources in West Africa
Design and integration of a solar photovoltaic system for mechanized and sustainable cocoa pod splitting
Open AccessEnergy, emissions, and economics of institutional solar PV cooking: evidence from an experimental study
Open AccessSynthesis of Physically Activated Carbons from Vitellaria paradoxa Shells for Supercapacitor Electrode Applications
Open AccessPerformance Analysis of a Solar-powered Absorption Refrigeration System for Small-scale Farmers in the Global South
Open AccessElectrified transportation for sustainable mobility in developing countries – a review of challenges and opportunities
Open AccessUnlocking the potential of redundant energy from solar photovoltaic systems: Navigating global research trends, innovations, and future directions
Open AccessPharmaceutical residues in environment matrices in the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis of Ghana present potential ecotoxicological risks
Soiling estimation methods in solar photovoltaic systems: Review, challenges and future directions
Open AccessTechno-environmental assessment of the fuel properties of a variety of briquettes for biomass boiler applications
Open AccessScientific mapping of experimental research on solar cookers: Global trends, evolution, and future directions
Open AccessAdvancing the solar cooking revolution: Insights into the evolving landscape of solar PV-based electric cooking
Open AccessExperimental analysis of an institutional solar PV-powered steam cooker with sand-based thermal energy storage
Open AccessMachine Learning-Assisted Innovative Charging Strategy for E-Mobility in Rural Communities Operated by Redundant Energy on Solar Pv Mini-Grids
Open AccessComparative Analysis of Power Quality of Solar PV Power Only, Hybrid Solar PV–Grid Power, and National Grid Power Only for SMEs: The Case of a Laundry Shop in Ghana
Open AccessComparative Performance Analysis of Differently Oriented Photovoltaic Modules for Sustainable and Efficient Land Utilization: A Case Study of the 6.5 Mwp Solar Power Plant
Open AccessEnergy Economics of Rooftop Solar Pv for Households Without Net Metering
Open AccessGhana's electric vehicle policy: a path to aviation industry decarbonization
Open AccessTechno-economic analysis of green hydrogen production and electric vehicle charging using redundant energy on a solar photovoltaic mini-grid
Open AccessInvestigating green hydrogen production operated by redundant energy on a solar PV mini-grid through matlab simulation and artificial neural network
Employing bibliometric analysis to identify the trends, evolution, and future research directions of sand-based thermal energy storage systems
Stochastic modeling for energy generation in Sub Saharan Africa (Case Study of NAWEC Power Plants-The Gambia)
Open AccessGreen building adaptation in hot-humid climates: assessment of coconut and corn husk fiber composite bricks as energy-efficient building envelopes
The transition of Ghana's cooling appliance sector to a circular economy via a small wins governance framework
Open AccessTechno-economic viability of decentralised solar photovoltaic-based green hydrogen production for sustainable energy transition in Ghana
Open AccessComparative Analysis of Power Quality of Solar Pv Power Only, Hybrid Solar Pv-Grid Power, and National Grid Power Only for Smes: The Case of a Laundry Shop in Ghana
Open AccessPrioritising Barriers and Strategies to Green Hydrogen Adoption and Development for Sustainable Energy Transition in Ghana: An Integrated MCDM Approach
Open AccessAnalysis and hypothesis testing of redundant energy of solar home systems without net-metering
Solar crop dryer with thermal energy storage as backup heater
Open AccessTechno-economic and environmental estimation assessment of floating solar PV power generation on Akosombo dam reservoir in Ghana
Open AccessOptimisation of thermal energy storage systems incorporated with phase change materials for sustainable energy supply: A systematic review
Open AccessBotnet attacks classification in AMI networks with recursive feature elimination (RFE) and machine learning algorithms
Machine learning of redundant energy of a solar PV Mini-grid system for cooking applications
Technical, financial, and emissions analyses of solar water heating systems for supplying sustainable energy for hotels in Ghana
Open AccessAn investigation into hybrid energy storage system control and power distribution for hybrid electric vehicles
Fault detection model for a variable speed heat pump
Open AccessIntegration of Advanced Metering Infrastructure for Mini-Grid Solar PV Systems in Off-Grid Rural Communities (SoAMIRural)
Open AccessRedefining green roof systems with climbers: simulation of a conceptual model for thermal-radiative performance and plant vitality
Unlocking the potential of solar electric vehicles for post-COVID recovery and growth in the transport sector in Ghana
Open AccessWind Tunnel Studies of the Lift and Drag Characteristics of EYO-Series Airfoils Under Ultra-Low Reynolds Number Conditions between 30,000 and 90,000
Open AccessEfficient control of cascade heat pumps using variable speed compressors
Open AccessRubber seed oil: Potential feedstock for aviation biofuel production
Open AccessUnlocking the potential of solar PV electric cooking in households in sub-Saharan Africa – The case of pressurized solar electric cooker (PSEC)
Open AccessEnergy analysis of poultry housing in Ghana using artificial neural networks
Open AccessAerodynamic performance characteristics of EYO-Series low Reynolds number airfoils for small wind turbine applications
Open AccessExperimental investigation of thermal management techniques for improving the efficiencies and levelized cost of energy of solar PV modules
Open AccessGuest editorial: Global energy transformation for combating climate change in the built environment: challenges and opportunities in developing countries
Open AccessAnalysis of indoor set-point temperature of split-type ACs on thermal comfort and energy savings for office buildings in hot-humid climates
Open AccessExperimental Investigation of Thermal Management Techniques for Improving the Efficiencies and Lcoes of Solar Pv Modules Installed in Hot-Humid Climates
Open AccessOptimization of industrial energy consumption for sustainability using time-series regression and gradient descent algorithm based on historical electricity consumption data
Open AccessThe cost of a transition to electric vehicles in Africa: A case study of Ghana
Performance evaluation of a 20 MW grid-coupled solar park located in the southern oceanic environment of Ghana
Open AccessExperimental Estimation of the Heat Transfer Coefficient of an Unglazed Solar Plate for Unsteady Humid Outdoor Condition
Open AccessFabricators and End-Users of Single-Pot Biomass Stoves: Conceptualizing, Hypothesis and Performance Metrics for Developing Energy Sustainability Framework
Open AccessTechnical and financial analysis of grid-tied solar PV for sustainable irrigation in rural agro-based communities in developing countries: a case study in Ghana
Technical and financial analysis of grid-tied solar PV for sustainable irrigation in rural agro-based communities in developing countries: a case study in Ghana
Production processes and statistical analysis of ceramic liner-hole parameters for sustainability and improved thermal efficiency of clean biomass stoves
Open AccessExergoeconomic analysis of staggered tube cross-flow heat recovery unit incorporated into industrial air-compressor for process water heating
Open AccessAnalysis of occupant behaviour in the use of air-conditioners in public buildings in developing countries: evidence from Ghana
CFD modelling and analysis of the trajectory and behaviour of oil pollutant particles in the ghanaian territorial waters
Open AccessCoconut Wastes as Bioresource for Sustainable Energy: Quantifying Wastes, Calorific Values and Emissions in Ghana
Open AccessExperimental investigation of heat transfer characteristics and performance of smooth and wicking surfaces in spray cooling for high heat flux applications
Open AccessIntegrated system efficiency in reducing redundancy and promoting residential renewable energy in countries without net-metering: A case study of a SHS in Ghana
Minimizing heat transmission loads and improving energy efficiency of building envelopes in sub-Saharan Africa using bio-based composite materials
Open AccessElectricity Access, Community Healthcare Service Delivery, and Rural Development Nexus: Analysis of 3 Solar Electrified CHPS in Off-Grid Communities in Ghana
Open AccessDevelopment of High Performance Airfoils for Application in Small Wind Turbine Power Generation
Open AccessEnergy efficiency, solar energy and cost saving opportunities in public tertiary institutions in developing countries: The case of KNUST, Ghana
Open AccessRemoving barriers and promoting demand-side energy efficiency in households in Sub-Saharan Africa: A case study in Ghana
Energy efficiency and cost saving opportunities in public and commercial buildings in developing countries – The case of air-conditioners in Ghana
Open AccessTechno-economic analysis of a hybrid solar PV-grid powered air-conditioner for daytime office use in hot humid climates – A case study in Kumasi city, Ghana
Open AccessComparative techno-economic assessment of a converted DC refrigerator and a conventional AC refrigerator both powered by solar PV
Renewable energy doctoral programmes in sub-Saharan Africa: A preliminary assessment of common capacity deficits and emerging capacity-building strategies
Open AccessRural Cold Storage as a Post-Harvest Technology System for Marginalized Agro-Based Communities in Developing Countries
Wicking Grooves to Enhance Heat Transfer Coefficients in Spray Cooling
Development Of Thermal Management Schemes For High Heat Flux Applications Using Two-Phase Spray Cooling Techniques
Scaling Parameters in Buoyancy Flows
Report on Seminar - The Industrial Utilisation of Cassava in Ghana. National Board for Small Scale Industries, Kumasi, Ghana. 8 July 2004. [One-day Policy Seminar for 70 participants].
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology